A Prime Problem
by Autobot Chromia
Summary: Many things happen after a war. When loved ones get together, young are made and futures created. What happens, though, when the trials come even after the war? Loved ones pull each other through. What happens when the loved one doesn't come home? Love pulls through. Optimus Prime and Jazz are in for the ride of their life. No OP/Jazz slash! Op/ UM and J/P.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Optimus." the white and blue mech murmured. "It's been too long."

"I agree." Optimus whispered into his audio's. "Are you sure you want to though? I mean, you were injured so badly-"

Blue fingers pressed against the Prime's lips as Ultra Magnus pulled the smaller mech to him. The finger was removed as Ultra Magnus pressed his lips to the the Prime's. Optimus closed his optics and leaned into it.

The two mechs were in Ultra's large berth. These two had been bondmates long before Optimus was even sent to Earth. Just before Optimus had been sent away from the Elite Guards to work on Space Bridges, the two had bonded. It had pained both when the younger mech was sent away, but they had gotten through it. Oh Primus, they had gotten through it!

The war was over, Megatron in custody. Prowl had been lost, but in war there are many losses. Jazz was in deep mourning, refusing to leave his room or refuel. None of these thoughts were in either blue mech's processor though as they entwined themselves.

"Open your chest, love." Ultra Magnus whispered.

The Prime's chassis slid back in perfect synch with the Magnus'. Two bright, glowing sparks tried to outdo each other in shining. The space between the chests closed, and tendrils began to leave the sparks and intertwine with each other. Moans of pleasure left each other's mouths as the sparks brushed each other.

"Optimus." Magnus whispered, caressing the Prime's cheekplate.

Optimus stroked Ultra Magnus' side. The sparks continued to merge, the pleasure building up as the two flipped back and forth on the berth.

"M-Magnus!" Optimus exclaimed as he felt an overload coming on.

Magnus didn't reply. He was close to his own overload. Their sparks brushed once more, a bit longer then normal, but still brushed. Optimus arched with a shout before falling back, chassis automatically snapping shut as his optics offlined.

Ultra Magnus' chest plates shut themselves as he too slumped, but remained conscious after many breems of deep breaths. He rolled over, looking at the overloaded mech in forced recharge. He smiled as he brushed his hand against the warm cheek. He planted a small kiss on Optimus' forehelm.

"Sleep well, sweetspark." Magnus whispered as he curled up around Optimus the way a sparkling did a stuffed toy.

Magnus shuttered and offlined his own optics, instantly falling into recharge.

* * *

Another hitched vent followed his last. A white hand wiped away his own tears.

"Why?" he gasped. "We coulda found anotha' way!"

Jazz scooped up a picture, looking at the frozen form of a black and gold cyber-ninja in the lotus position. His visor was dim in deep meditation, and Jazz could practically hear his humming.

"D-Damn you!" Jazz shouted, throwing the cube across the room in a fit of rage. "Damn you and your heroics! We would'a found another fraggin' way!"

Jazz sunk back into his chair, finding that he had stood to throw the holo-cube. He buried his face in his hands, coolant oozing between his digits and dripping to the floor.

Why was this one mech taking the black cyber-ninja's death so hard? While the others hadn't simply brushed it off, the rest of them weren't angry about it or as depressed as he was. Was the fact that they had been bondmates been part of the reason? Pit, yes. He had felt the moment Prowl had left him, a sickening snap followed by the low moan as the grayed frame fell from the AllSpark.

"Ah...Ah caught ya', Prowler. Ah caught yer frame." Jazz gasped out, feeling even now the dead weight in his servos and the cold feeling he could not shake. That cold feeling that wouldn't be washed off no matter how much he scrubbed or how hot the water was.

Jazz didn't even start as someone knocked at his door. Nobody (except for Optimus) had their own houses yet. They were all bunked in one base, most with their own rooms.

"Go away!" Jazz snarled.

"Open up, Jazz." Ratchet's gruff voice ordered.

"No." Jazz spat.

"You've been in there since the funeral, Jazz." Ratchet stated, describing an event nearly 7 orns ago.

"Go the frag away!" Jazz shouted, each word dripping with venom and anger and sadness. "Just go." Jazz said, weaker as he sank back into the chair.

Jazz heard a keypad clicking, and was not at all surprised when the door slid open. Damn doc and his override codes.

"Shoulda put a stronga firewall." Jazz tried to smirk, only managing to straighten out his frown some.

Ratchet sighed as he looked at the distraught mech. His armour looked the same, in need of a polish and paint and a wash, but the same. Ratchet knew better though. Beneath the armour, Jazz's protoform was severely malnourished and thin. He was literally wasting away, but that was little compared to the mental anguish he was currently in. All the emotional turmoil he held in, locked away like he had himself.

"You need to drink these." Ratchet stated, rather gently, as he took two cubes from subspace and set them on the desk.

Jazz shook his helm. "Ah can't, doc."

"You've got a mouth, use it for something other then yelling." Ratchet stated.

Jazz again shook his helm. He ignored the sharp pain in his spark as he shot a sharp glare at the medic.

"Why can't ya let meh be?" Jazz asked, almost begging.

"It's not good for you." Ratchet replied.

"Ah don' care." Jazz stated. "Get out."

"Jazz." Ratchet said firmly. "I am not leaving until you have drunken at least one of those cubes."

Jazz looked at the cubes. He knew he needed them, but he couldn't. He _physically_ couldn't. Nobody knew that he and Prowl were bonded. If they did, he would be being treated much differently. He would most likely be confined in the med-bay, a feeding tube down his throat and an I.V. bag in his arm. They would try to keep him alive.

Bonded couples, when first bonded, merge sparks to become one. If one offlined, the other usually followed. The living mate could be saved, but they would always feel empty and depressed.

"Ah can't, doc." Jazz repeated.

"Jazz-"

"Jus' get out!" Jazz shouted, cutting off Ratchet's scolding as he lept from his seat and pointed at the door. "Get ta' frag out and let meh be!"

Before Ratchet could reply, Jazz was hanging from the desk as he tried to remain up right. The white mech was half kneeling with one hand over his face was tight with pain as he sunk fully to his knees, one hand still on the desk as he clutched his chest.

"Jazz!" Ratchet exclaimed as he went to the white mech's side. "What's wrong?"

"G-get out." Jazz panted. "Lemme offline in peace."

Offline? Ratchet looked at the white cyber-ninja's face, studying the rather emotional visor. They stared right back, begging Ratchet with everything in them to leave him alone.

"Jazz?" was all Ratchet could get out.

A sad smirk. "Su'prise."

"How long?" Ratchet asked.

"Long time ago." Jazz replied, falling back so that he sat with his knees under him.

"Jazz, I have to-"

"Ya' havta nothin'." Jazz snapped. "I don' want yer help. Lemme be, 'kay?"

An overpowering feeling came over Ratchet. It felt like something had taken over his body and he no longer had control. His voice sounded so close, yet so far away at the same time.

"I can't do that." Ratchet said.

"Please, Hatchet." Jazz begged, coolant gathering in his hidden optics. "I jus' wanna be wi' Prowler 'gain."

Without a word Ratchet had forced Jazz to his feet. Jazz was weak from lack of energy, but still had enough strength to fight the older mech off.

"No!" Jazz shouted. trying to wrench his wrists free from Ratchet's iron grip. "Lemme go! Lemme be! Get outta 'ere; yer not welcome 'ere!"

"Jazz, stop." Ratchet ordered, trying to pin the white mech to the wall.

Jazz snapped his servo, yanking his wrist free. He used it to strike Ratchet's face plate and kicked Ratchet away once he had staggered back.

Ratchet fall against the wall, energon seeping from a split in his lip and his jaw dislocated. Jazz looked both horrified and justified at the same time. He leaned against the wall himself, hand over his throbbing spark.

"Jus' go, please." he whispered in a wavering voice.

"I can't do that." Ratchet said, his voice slightly lisped from his broken jaw.

"Ah ain't afraid ta hurt ya' 'gain." Jazz growled. "Ah'll do it again if ah haveta."

"You won't have to." Ratchet said, taking a needle from his subspace.

Jazz's visor widened with his optics. He staggered up and prepared himself to fight. Ratchet was coming closer, the silver liquid right at the needle, a shining drop shimmering in the artificial light of the windowless room.

"Get away!" Jazz screeched, tripping over the chair in his haste to get away.

He flipped over and spider crawled back a bit, fear and hurt as if betrayed shining in his visor.

"Jazz, this won't hurt. I promise." Ratchet assured him as he continued his steady pace towards the panicking mech.

"Get back!" Jazz shouted. "Stay away."

He scrambled to his pedes and was prepared to both fight and flee, in that order, when a quick prick pinched one of his neck cables.

"Please." Jazz begged.

"It'll be all right, Jazz." Ratchet said calmly as Jazz's vision began to blur and blacken.

With a grunt, Ratchet caught the mech with his shoulder as his pedes gave out from under him.

"I promise."

* * *

Optimus bit his bottom lip in both excitement and nervousness. He held a small white device in his hands, with an absorbent side and a plastic part. He waved the wand again, trying to get it to speed up.

"Please."he whispered out to Primus.

He set it down on the wash rack counter and went out to the bedroom. It was going to be a few more breems before the test result came back.

Three orns they had been together. They had seen each other a few times after landing, and at Prowl's funeral, but it had only been three days since they had really ben _together_. Ultra Magnus was at Headquarters, as usual. Optimus had to head there soon too, but wanted to take the test first. It was a strong test, much stronger then a human pregnancy test. It could tell if a bot was sparked the first day of conception, if that was when it was took.

Optimus got up again and went to the wash racks. He looked at the upside down sparked test. He hesitantly picked it up, but didn't flip it over. He first wanted his servos to stop shaking.

"Just flip it." Optimus told himself. "What's the worse that can happen? It comes up negative?"

_Yes._ The little voice in his head said.

"Then we'll just keep trying." Optimus said, aloud again as he was alone at the house.

_Bet you would like that, wouldn't you?_

Optimus smirked a bit. He now had enough courage to flip it, but shuttered his optics before he could read it.

"Just do it!" he exclaimed, forcing himself to look.

He gasped. He looked down at a little plus symbol. He half laughed half gasped, looking at the test in complete shock. It took everything he had in him not to comm. Ultra right then and there to tell him.

"No." he said, again aloud. "I have to make this special."

An idea would have to wait though. He subspaced the test and left their moderately sized home. He transformed at the road and drove to Headquarters, going first to his office. He had to 'clock in', so to speak, and then he wanted to visit the med-bay.

* * *

"You want me to do what, Optimus?" Ratchet asked with a raised optic ridge.

"Can you..." Optimus said, again hesitantly. "Check my spark?"

"And why would I do that?" Ratchet asked, pointing towards a medical berth.

"I, um..." Optimus faltered, taking a seat. "Took a test this morning."

"And?" Ratchet pressed, all ready getting the necessary tools to check the Prime.

"And it came up positive." Optimus replied.

"You wanted it positive, correct?" Ratchet asked, making Optimus lay down.

"Yes. "Optimus said quickly, so that there would be no doubt of them wanting one.

Ratceht nodded, pressing a small device to Optimus' chest and uploading readings to a monitor. Optimus waited silently, looking at the medic's cheek strut and jaw. His lip was still split, the energon on it was washed away but some still clung to it, dried. His jaw had been relocated, and a metal brace was holding it together on the side of his helm, making it difficult and a bit painful to talk.

Optimus couldn't remain silent any longer, and curiosity got the better of him.

"I know I'll probably read a report about it later, but what happened to you?"

"This?" Ratchet asked, not even flinching at the sharp pain. He'd pop a painkiller later. "You can thank Jazz for this. And Prowl."

"Prowl?" Optimus asked, completely confused.

"Turns out the cyber-ninja's could keep a secret better then we thought." Ratchet grumbled. "The two were bonded, and Jazz acted out when I found out."

To say that Optimus was surprised would have been a severe understatement. He was completely shocked, floored even. Of course, everyone knew that something was going on between Jazz and Prowl. I mean, really, nobody meditated for _that_ long, but bonded? Most had said a secret courtship was going on between the two, or they were just close friends. _Really _close friends. 'Friends with benefits', as Bumblebee had so blatently put it.

"Jazz hit you?" Optimus asked, still surprised.

"Hit is an understatement." Ratchet replied. "He split my lip and fractured my jaw."

"I'm sorry." Optimus apologized, feeling sorry for the medic.

"Wasn't your fault." Ratchet stated. After a moment, Ratchet took the small, hand-held device from Optimus' chassis. "Get up."

"Well?" Optimus asked, sitting up and swinging his pedes over the side of the berth.

"I have one final test." Ratchet stated. "Open up your chassis."

Optimus quickly did so. He still had work to do, and a ton of reports to fill out and the like. Ratchet leaned forward, face brightening up from the light of Optimus' spark. He observed it for a few nano-secs before uploading and image to a monitor from his HUD.

"You can close them now." Ratchet stated.

Optimus again obeyed. He looked at the monitor himself, and his face lit up with joy at the small, glowing ball right along side his own spark.

"Is that it?" Optimus asked, voice low and breathless with shock and wonder.

"That's your sparkling." Ratchet confirmed. "Still pretty early. Only a few orns old."

Optimus nodded. He turned to thank Ratchet, but stopped. The medic was smirking. A smirk that meant no good.

"That means you haven't had any symptoms yet." Ratchet stated.

"Symptoms?" Optimus questioned.

Optimus held back a shudder at that _smirk_. "Yep. Sparked sickness, fatigue, cravings, mood swings etcetera." Ratchet stated.

"I'll,er, have something to look forward to then." Optimus hesitantly said.

"I'll make some medical grade for you." Ratchet said. "You can drink normal energon, just drink one of these before you go to bed. It'll be upped later on. No High Grade and no spark merging."

Optimus started a bit. Ratchet really did have no tact. The medic didn't stop there though, he was still rambling on the 'do's and don't's'.

"Interfacing is all right for now, but not once the sparkling is in the gastational chamber and making a protoform." Ratchet finished.

"All right, all right." Optimus said. "Thank you."

Ratchet shrugged with a grunt. "Don't you have work to do?"

"Yes." Optimus agreed, rising to leave. His mind wasn't on his work though.

Instead, he was thinking of a billion and one ways of how to tell Ultra Magnus. Ratchet smirked as the young Prime left the med-bay with his helm in the clouds.

* * *

Optimus was heading up the halls again. This time from his office to Ultra Magnus'. He was trying to wipe the smirk from his face plates, but was failing miserably. He had a large grin that just wouldn't leave. Optimus also swore that he was glowing.

He stopped before the familiar door and knocked a few times.

"It's open." Ultra Magnus' strong voice came out.

Optimus opened the door, and Ultra's face lit up at the sight of his bondmate. Optimus returned the smile as he dropped a stack of data-pads on his mate's desk.

"Optimus, just dropping off reports?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Yes and no." Optimus replied, biting his glossa to keep from saying more.

"Want to come over here and sit on my lap?" Ultra offered.

Optimus shook his helm. ""Maybe you should look at those reports."

"I can do that later, Optimus." the Magnus stated. "They aren't going anywhere. Besides, I'd rather spend time with you."

"I can stay here while you look at them." Optimus suggested.

"Why don't you stay here while I look at you?" Ultra smirked.

Optimus rolled his optics. "There is some information that needs to be gone over."

Ultra sighed. "Like what, Optimus?"

"Well, for one thing, Jazz and Prowl were bonded." Optimus started, tapping the first pad.

Ultra onlined it and looked over the information. "Can't say I'm really surprised."

"This one is about the injurys Ratchet sustained from Jazz." Optimus tapped the second pad.

"That I am a little surprised about." Ultra admitted, picking it up and reviewing at before setting it aside.

Ultra was now in working mode. He picked up the next three data-pads. Something shifted between them and they all fell to the floor. Something clattered besides the pads, making a softer bang.

"Did one of them break?" Ultra asked as he got up to pick them up.

He was a bit surprised when Optimus didn't get down to help him, but instead took a seat on the desk. Ultra reached under the desk and picked up a small, slim object. He forgot all about the data-pads as he sat down. He flipped it around, looking at both sides.

It was pure white plastic. There was a covered end with a pink cap, and a small screen in the middle. A dark blue plus sign stared up at him.

"What is this?" Ultra Magnus asked in pure confusion.

"Oh, that?" Optimus asked, trying very hard not to laugh at his bondmate's face. "Just a test I took this morning."

"A test?" Ultra pressed, still confused.

"Yep. A sparked test." Optimus said. He pointed at the symbol. "That means it's positive."

"Positive." Ultra repeated, letting at all sink in. Optimus had to wait a few breems for any kind of reply. "You're...sparked?"

"Ratchet confirmed it." Optimus said, picking up the last pad on the desk and onlining it. Optimus' spark and a small yellow dot were frozen on the screen. "That's the sparkling."

Ultra took both the pad and the test, looking at each one and then Optimus before doing so again. He did so a few more times, looking to be in shock and disbelief.

"If you're going to crash, just do it all ready and get it over with." Optimus smirked.

Magnus shook his helm, shaking away the stupor he had been in.

"You're sparked." Ultra stated, his voice showing no emotion.

"Are you upset?" Optimus asked.

Ultra's face lit up. "Of course not. Just 're going to have a sparkling!"

Optimus nodded.

"Do you know what it is?" Ultra asked.

"Not yet. It's still too early." Optimus tried not to laugh. "It hasn't even started a protoform."

"Who cares about a protoform?" Ultra asked. "We're going to have a sparkling!"

Optimus nodded. He was pleasantly surprised when he was gently grabbed and pressed against his bondmate's lips. Optimus broke the kiss and got off of the desk.

"Where are you going?" Ultra asked.

"Well, I've still got work to finish." Optimus stated.

"Work? But you're sparked." Ultra contradicted.

"It's still the early stages." Optimus said. "I can still work."

Ultra just gave a nod. Optimus then left, swearing that he heard a whoop after the door was closed. How very sire-like and un-Magnus-like. Optimus went back to his own office and desk. Ultra had been told. Now he just had to spread the news. How to do that... There was only one bot he needed to tell, and then the entire galaxy would know.

Bumblebee.

* * *

Author's Note- There's chapter 1! Been workin' on this one for awhile. And FYI, when Bumblebee and Bulkhead dissapear, they are on earth under new managment (Rodimus Prime). I may/may not explain that. And be ready for a big surprise with Jazz!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jazz lay in the medical berth, in what he called a padded room. The room, though, had no padding in it other then on the berth. It was simply a closed off room with a single window, tightly locked to prevent escape.

He lay on his side, an I.V. in his servo. He was planning on ripping it out soon, but knew that he needed the nutrients first or he wouldn't have the strength to escape, or actually get away at all. The I.V. bag was nearly empty, but still had a ways left.

Jazz observed the door. It was locked from the outside with many firewalls and codes that only the medics knew. He would have to wait for someone to come in and unlock the door to escape first.

That just left one more problem. Where would he go? Actually...that was the easy part. He would go to Prowl. The tomb that he had been lain in was just outside of Iacon. He would go there. At least he would offline next to his bondmate.

Jazz huffed. He sat up and squeezed the I.V. bag a bit, trying to get it to go faster. It didn't work, and he lay back down. He stared straight up at the ceiling.

"Oh, Prowler." Jazz sighed, his voice breaking.

The time slowly dragged on. He looked about the bare room. There was nothing in it other then the I.V. stand, a spark monitor, and the berth. The window was open, and the light coming in, but Jazz could care less about what went on outside. He checked his internal chronometer ever other nano-sec, watching each slow drip from the I.V. bag into a long tube and into his servo.

A knock sounded at the door, alerting Jazz that someone was coming in.

"Finally." he muttered as Ratchet and First Aid walked in. "Took ya' long 'nough."

Ratchet didn't know if Jazz's complaining was a sign of him getting better or worse. First Aid was looking over the spark monitor, leaving Ratchet to answer the white cyber-ninja.

"How are you feeling?" Ratchet asked.

"Ah'd be bettah you would let meh be." Jazz stated.

Ratchet vented. "I can't do that, Jazz."

"Why not? Ain't this like botnappin'? Holdin' meh 'gainst mah will?" Jazz asked sharply.

"Jazz, you just have to trust me." Ratchet sighed, going over to the I.V. bag. He pressed a finger to the comm. link.

: Arcee, you were right : he stated.

: Told ya'. : the femme, once a educator, now a nurse and Ratchet's bondmate, stated smugly.

:Can you-:

: Bring the I.V. bag? : Arcee finished. :On my way :

Ratchet shut off the link, going over to the spark monitor himself to look it over. First Aid was pointing things out here and there, both medics completely wrapped up in their work. Now was his chance.

Quietly, Jazz grabbed the needle in his servo and slowly began to pull it out. He was not expecting an alarm to go off, but it did not deter him in any way. He ignored the shouts at him to stop, and slapped away the hands that grabbed at him.

"This is gettin' nowhere." Jazz commented, yanking the needle with everything in him.

A small trickle of energon came from the cut, but nothing life threatening.

"Jazz, stop it!" Ratchet shouted, trying to grab the white cyber-ninja and pin him to the floor.

"Back off." Jazz snapped, easily evading him.

"Security!" First Aid shouted down the halls.

Jazz shoved past First Aid, even after the medic and tackled him to the floor. He kicked him off easily, not injuring him, and jumped back up only to come face to face with a pink femme with a clear bag of fluids in her hands.

"Jazz, go back." Arcee said gently.

"No can do." Jazz replied. He hesitated. "Ah don' wanta hurt ya, 'Cee."

"Then don't, Jazz." Arcee said calmly. "Go back to the berth."

Jazz's visor deepened in blue. "No!" he yelled at the femme.

He quickly went around her. Ratchet was pushing by Arcee, having stopped to check on First Aid who had been knocked unconscious. Two large mechs were running up to him. Jazz quickly crouched a bit, getting into attack pose. The two mechs were the hospital security, one called Bluestreak and the other Barricade (a mech who defected from the Decepticons just groons before the end of the war).

"Hold it right there." Barricade ordered, flaring his doorwings with Bluestreak to block every available gap.

"Outta mah way!" Jazz shouted, still crouched and ready to attack.

"Jazz, stop this nonsense." Ratchet ordered, a tranquilizer in hand if need be.

"Shut the frag up!" Jazz snapped back.

"Jazz, please." Arcee pleaded. "It's for your own good."

"Mah own good? Ya'll don' care 'bout that much if yer keepin' meh in 'ere!" Jazz shouted.

: Keep him distracted : Ratchet said over the internal comm. link.

: And how do you expect me to do that? : Arcee asked.

: Just keep talking to him : Ratchet ordered.

"Jazz..." Arcee stammered. "P-Prowl wouldn't want you to do this."

"And what do you know 'bout Prowl?" Jazz asked.

"Not much." Arcee admitted. "Not as much as you do, but I do know that he would not want you to offline because of him."

"Then 'e shouldn't 'a merged wi' ta' AllSpark." Jazz snapped, his voice wavering and small streaks of coolant flowing from beneath his visor.

"Jazz, he did it to save the city of Detroit, his team, you." Arcee explained calmly, Ratchet slowly getting closer and closer.

"Ya' don' get it, do ya'? 'E didn' just sacrifice himself! 'E sacrificed everthin' that means anythin' ta' meh!" Jazz exclaimed, accent becoming thicker as he began to break down.

Arcee was honestly confused, as was everybody else. She just needed to buy Ratchet two more steps.

"I'm sure that he didn't mean to, Jazz." Arcee said.

"We coulda found anotha way ta-" Jazz broken voice was cut off as he felt something jab his neck cables again. "You Pylon."

"Jazz, I-" Arcee started.

"You Pylon!" Jazz shouted, teetering on his pedes.

He tried to swing at Ratchet, but only managed to hit the air around him and fall to the ground in a metallic heap. Arcee looked ready to cry.

"Ratchet, why?" Arcee asked. "Why are you doing this to him? He has no will to live anymore."

"Arcee..." Ratchet sighed. "You just have to trust me."

Arcee sighed and shook her helm, looking at the heap on the floor. The guards were dragging him back into the room, and Ratchet followed them. Arcee went in as well, still holding the clear bag of I.V. fluids.

* * *

Optimus rolled over in the berth, relishing the warmth of his mate. Now if only his tank would stop churning, then the moment would be perfect. He felt Magnus shift and intake a bit as he came out of recharge.

The larger blue and white mech's optics instantly went to his bondmate was he smiled softly. He knew that Optimus wasn't asleep, and nuzzled his neck.

"Morning." Magnus murmured, voice still thick with sleep. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I could purge. Stop moving so much." Optimus returned.

He smirked a bit as he felt Magnus recoil a bit like Optimus had been a toxic cyber-snake about to strike.

"Are you all right?" Magnus asked.

"I'm fine." Optimus replied. "It's normal. It's really not that bad. It'll pass."

"Are you certain?" Magnus asked. "It might be best for you to stay home today."

"Magnus, it's just morning sickness." Optimus argued a bit. "It'll pass."

"If you're sure you're fine." Magnus said, giving Optimus a kiss on the cheek as he got up. "I'll be in the wash rack if you need anything."

"I'll be up in a minute." Optimus assured his mate.

Magnus nodded as he opened an adjoining door and disappeared. Optimus rubbed his hand over his tank, trying to calm it down some. He swore that it was getting worse. He rolled onto his back, trying to focus on the sound of running washer fluid in the wash racks. The acidic taste in the back of his throat overpowered him though, and forced him out of bed and over a waste reciprocal.

Optimus retched once, purging into the bin. He grimaced at the taste and the burning sensation in his throat. He felt a hand on his back, making soothing circles at just the right places.

"Feeling better?" Magnus asked.

Optimus snorted. "Actually, I do."

Optimus rose to his pedes, a bit shakey but not much. He glanced at the waste bin, biting his bottom lip as he felt his face heat up.

"Go wash off." Magnus stated. "I'll take care of this."

Optimus agreed, wanting to rinse off after that. He went into the wash racks without hesitation as Magnus 'took care' of the situation.

* * *

Jazz slowly onlined. The room was so hazy and blurred. Something was making a steady, distorted blare somewhere in the distance. Something soft and pleasant, but still unintelligible was making noises.

Jazz moaned softly, the drugged feeling finally starting to leave. The blaring reduced to nothing more then the steady beeps of the spark monitor. The room cleared, the light being too much for a few nano-secs as his optics adjusted. That pleasant sound resumed, forming an actual word instead of muffled murmurs.

"Jazz?"

Jazz lolled his helm over to see Arcee sitting in a chair next to the berth. He glanced hopefully at the door only to find it closed, and most likely locked.

"Hmm?" Jazz hummed, the tranquilizer still lingering in his processor. On top of that, his processor hurt. Must have been when he hit the floor or something.

"Jazz?" Arcee repeated, waiting for an intelligent reply.

"Wha' do ya' wan'?" Jazz mumbled.

"Are you all right?" Arcee asked.

Jazz grunted, looking away as his visor dimmed.

"Jazz, I'm sorry." Arcee said softly.

"'Bout what?" Jazz asked.

"For everything that's happened to you. With Prowl, and being here. I know you don't want to be here."

"Ya' got tha' right." Jazz stated.

"I'm sorry for everything." Arcee repeated, her voice showing pure pity and emotion.

Jazz snorted sarcastically. "Ya' don' know everythin' that happened, so how can ya be sorry for everythin'?"

"No, I don't know." Arcee truthfully stated. "Why don't you tell me?"

"Ah ain't gotta tell ya' nothin'." Jazz stated.

Arcee nodded her helm. "if you don't want to talk, I understand."

Jazz stared out the window, laying flat on his back. He sighed, dimming his visor.

"Ya jus' don' get it." Jazz said in a whisper.

"I know that Prowl merged with the AllSpark." Arcee stated. "I know that that must have hurt you terribly."

"How'd ya' like ta catch Ratchet after he offlined?" Jazz asked, a bit sharper then he originally intended to.

"It must have been terrible for you. And nobody knowing that you two were bonded for so long-"

"Nobody knows ta other half either." Jazz stated.

Arcee fell silent. Jazz looked like he wanted to say more, just needed a few nano-secs to get his words together. The white mech sighed. He smirked a second as a memory floated through his processor, and chuckled in a breathy way.

"'E was so sick."

Arcee looked rather shocked and put off. How did he find an illness funny?

"I'm sorry." Arcee said. "I'm sure Ratchet did all that he could-"

"Not that kinda sick." Jazz interrupted, waiving her off. "'E kept if hidden from meh for quite awhile."

"He hid an illness?" Arcee asked.

"Com'mon." Jazz complained a bit. "Follow meh, femme. 'E didn't have nothin' like that. We was practicin' 'bout two Earth weeks 'fore the attack."

Arcee nodded, listening intently.

"He got meh in the helm, Ah got 'im in the pede." Jazz smirked, obviously watching the memory in his processor. "'E got meh helm 'gain and I got 'is gut."

Arcee smirked a bit, knowing how much the two liked to spar and practice and meditate together. They also liked to do more then meditate...'wrestle gently', to say the least.

"After Ah kicked 'em, 'e ran from the room. Ah didn' know if ah'd 'urt 'im or not, so Ah followed him. Found him in ta wash racks, purgin' his tank out." Jazz said, still smirking a bit.

"From the kick?" Arcee asked.

Jazz shook his helm. "Tha's what Ah thought...turned out 'e was...he was sparked." Jazz stammered out, his voice cracking again and smirk fading away.

Arcee's spark instantly went out to Jazz even more then before. To lose not only his other half, but a continuation of them. His sparkling and bondmate, lost at the same time.

"After Ah caught him." Jazz said, trying to wipe away the coolant beneath his visor that again streaked his white cheeks. "Ah checked his chassis. Nothin'. Nothin' at all."

Arcee laid a hand on Jazz's servo, that was shaking from the sobs he know let out freely.

"Jazz, I-I'm so sorry." Arcee lowly said, near tears herself.

Jazz didn't reply, clicking and sobbing. Arcee started to stroke his servo a bit, letting him cry without uttering a single word. After a quarter of a joor, the white mech had fallen into an exhausted recharge.

Arcee rose to her pedes and slowly stole out of the room. The door automatically locked behind her. She went straight for her bondmate's office. Ratchet needed to be filled in on a few things.

* * *

"You're sparked?" Bumblebee asked for the umpteenth time.

"Yes, Bumblebee." Optimus replied.

The yellow youngling had the biggest, cheesiest grin Optimus had ever seen. Optimus shook his helm a bit.

"Now, you can't tell anyone." Optimus stated.

Bumblebee instantly straightened up, put a hand behind his back and raised his other one in the air.

"I won't tell a single spark." Bumblebee swore.

"Thank you." Optimus said before leaving.

"Not one." Bumblebee whispered to himself as he removed his hand from behind his back to reveal his digits crossed.

_Perfect._ Optimus thought to himself. _Reverse psychology really does work._

It wasn't long until Optimus had a message pop up in his HUD untitled '**WHAT?!**'.

It was from Arcee, which rather surprised Optimus. He was expecting Bulkhead maybe, or somebody else in Headquarters like Ironhide or Huffer or Cliffjumper. He opened it and internally flinched at the all caps letters and overuse of punctuation. It was like someone screaming in his mind.

'CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SPARKLING! SO EXCITED FOR YOU! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT.

-Arcee'

Optimus shook his helm as he sent a message back.

'Thank you very much. Ultra Magnus and I are very excited.

-Optimus'

Optimus was very grateful, to say the least, when she finally stopped messaging her. It took nearly a joor, but he was finally able to get back to work.

* * *

Author's note- I bet a whole bunch of you are confused now. Jazz is NOT sparked with Prowl's sparkling. I've never gotten into the whole Jazz pregnancy thing...I see Prowl as the carrier and Jazz a sire. 

Who wants to guess what will really happen?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jazz moaned from his med-berth. He hurt and ached all over. What pained him the worst was his spark. A deep, nagging, tugging, pulling, stabbing ache radiated though his spark. None of the doctor's pain medications were working, and he was dying despite every attempt Ratchet made and was making.

Ratchet was now trying to shove a feeding tube down Jazz's throat. Jazz clamped his mouth shut, refusing to open it. He added firewalls of all sorts so that if Ratchet tried to drug him again, his mouth would still stay closed.

With and angry shout Ratchet pitched the tube across the room.

"Primus slaggit, Jazz!" Ratchet yelled at the white mech. "You have to work with me here."

"Leave meh alone." Jazz gasped out in barely a whisper.

"Jazz, if I don't get this into you then you will offline within the next few orns." Ratchet said, his voice actually pleading with the white mech.

A small smile crept onto Jazz's face. "Good."

"Jazz-"

"Why ya' doin' this, doc?" Jazz asked. "Ah ain't got nothin' ta' live for no more."

Ratchet narrowed his optics. "What do you mean 'nothing'?"

"Then tell meh what ta point is." Jazz dared.

Ratchet fell silent, mulling it over. Jazz had a very strong point, but it just wasn't right. Every time Ratchet was about to release Jazz and let him be, an overpowering feeling would come over him. He would have no control over anything, and only want to help Jazz. It wasn't just help him either, but to _help_. To save his very spark, to keep him alive, as if holding into him for something.

Ratchet had no anser.

"Just trust me, Jazz." Ratchet sighed.

Jazz snorted, flipping onto his side and looking away from the medic. Ratchet sighed again, upping Jazz's I.V. intake as he wouldn't drink energon or oil.

* * *

Optimus onlined with a jerk. He bit his glossa to hold back a hiss of pain as a hand involuntarily jerked to his chest.

It had been nearly a month since he was first sparked. The sparkling was expected to go down to the gestational chamber at any moment. Ultra Magnus had been hovering over him like a mecha-hawk, and had random bots come in and check on him in his office (if Magnus didn't do it himself).

Optimus slowly lay back down, venting out.

"Are you all right, love?" Ultra Magnus asked, all ready up and about.

"Fine." Optimus said, sitting up and swinging his pedes off the side of the berth.

"How are you feeling?" Ultra asked next, rubbing a polishing cloth over his servos.

"I'm fine, Ultra. You need to stop worrying." Optimus stated.

"Can't help it." the Magnus smirked.

He glanced up at his mate, and was rather surprised to see Optimus looking rather tired. His paint was a bit faded, his color pale. His optics also looked just a tad dim and glazed.

"Come here." Ultra beckoned, opening his servos as if to embrace Optimus.

Optimus didn't hesitate to go to the servos as Ultra Magnus pulled him into a hug. He planted a kiss on Optimus' forehelm, holding it there a bit longer then usual. Then he pressed his cheek to Optimus' forehelm.

"You feel a bit warm, sweetspark." Ultra commented. "Are you sure you feel all right."

Optimus vented a bit. To be honest, he felt like slag. He was tired and his spark hurt. His processor also ached. Ultra Magnus shook his helm a bit.

"Just stay here and rest today." Ultra Magnus suggested.

"I'm fine, really. Just tired." Optimus admitted.

"Then rest." the Magnus said firmly. "It's almost time for it to drop down anyways. You _should_ be resting."

Reluctantly, Optimus agreed. He helped Ultra Magnus with his polishing before seeing the white and blue mech off.

"Comm. me if anything happens." Ultra Magnus said before transforming.

"I will." Optimus said with a slight shake of his helm.

Ultra Magnus gave a quick rumble of his engines before going off down the road. Optimus watched until his bondmate had turned and disappeared. Optimus turned and went back inside, absent-mindedly rubbing over his spark chamber as a dull throb began to radiate and not let up.

He curled up on the sofa after getting his cube of medical grade energon. He sipped at it a bit, but wasn't very hungry. He set aside the yellow cube and looked about the living room.

The house he shared with the Magnus was relatively small. It had a kitchen area, a master berthroom with connected wash rack, a guest room (currently being transformed into a sparkling room), and another wash rack for 'public' use. There also was a living room and a balcony, but nothing more.

Optimus flinched again as a sharp pain pierced his spark. He shivered a bit, feeling a draft from...somewhere. He reluctantly got up from his spot on the sofa and went into the berthroom. He snagged the warming blanket from the berth and went back to the living room, not wanting to stay in the berthroom.

"What to do." Optimus mumbled as he bundled up in the blanket.

He noticed a remote to the holo-vid sitting on the small table. He sighed as he picked it up. He had nothing better to do right now. He flipped it onto some local news station, but found it very hard to concentrate. You try watching television when it feels like somebody's stabbing you again and again in the heart. From the _inside_.

Sometime between then and now, and Magnus leaving and coming home, Optimus had fallen asleep. Some random nonsense was still on the television, the volume so low that it was simply soft mumbles and music. Magnus sent a pitying look at his bondmate, curled up in the sofa beneath the warming blanket.

He gave Optimus a gentle shake, calling out his name. He didn't want to wake him up, but knew that the red and blue mech would be more comfortable on the berth.

"Optimus." Magnus repeated.

Optimus muttered something, shifting in recharge. Ultra Magnus smirked, shaking Optimus again.

"Optimus, wake up."

Optimus hummed a bit, his optics unshuttering but not onlining. He shifted again, his optics lighting up quickly with a hiss of pain as he jumped a bit.

"Easy." Ultra Magnus said, resting a hand on his mate's shoulder. "You all right."

Optimus rubbed his chest for a klik. He still didn't seem fully awake.

"Tired." Optimus mumbled.

"I know." Ultra humored in a soothing voice as he pulled Optimus to his pedes and supported him. "You can go back to recharge in just a breem. Let's get you into berth first."

Optimus merely nodded, sleepily humming in agreement as Ultra Magnus began to lead Optimus down the hall and into the berthroom. He got Optimus to lay down before covering him back up with the warming blanket. Optimus was still mumbling a bit, his optics dimming and half shuttered as his sytems began to force him back into recharge. They suddenly lit up brightly and flew open as Optimus jerked forward holding his chest with a gasp.

"Optimus." Magnus exclaimed.

"I'm fine." Optimus gasped out after a second, panting slightly. "Awake now."

"Are you certain that you are all right?" Ultra asked, alarmed and worried.

"I'm fine." Optimus said. He shifted uncomfortably for a second. "I think the spark is traveling down."

Ultra nodded, understanding. "Is it supposed to hurt?"

Optimus shrugged a shoulder. "I wasn't told that it wasn't supposed to."

Ultra Magnus checked his chronometer. "Do you want some energon?"

"I'm not very hungry." Optimus said, his voice low and tired. "Just want some more recharge."

"You do that." Ultra Magnus agreed.

The Magnus, though, was hungry. It had been a trying day at work, and he was ready for a cube and berth. He headed down to the kitchen and quickly drank a cube of regular grade energon. The empty cube was tossed into the disposal, and Ultra headed back to the berthroom. He snuck in quietly as Optimus was breathing steadily and in light recharge.

Ultra Magnus stole under the covers and snuggled up next to his mate, wrapping his servos around him and falling into recharge.

* * *

Jazz coughed weakly twice, his helm slowly going back and forth across the pillow on the medi-berth. His optics were half shuttered, his spark erratically beating in painful spasms.

"Jazz." Ratchet said. "Answer me."

Jazz didn't, in a deep semi-conscious stupor. He gasped in an dout, his very ventilation a fight. He could heard Ratchet and Arcee calling out to him, but paid neither no heed as their voices got farther and farther.

"Prowler." Jazz gasped out once,

"Jazz, it'll be all right." Arcee said, taking his limp hand and servo in her own.

Jazz didn't see her, his optics focused right behind her at the black being that had materialized behind her.

"P-Prowl?" Jazz gasped again, his voice strained.

"Jazz." the black mech said softly.

The black bot took another step, gold shining off of him in just the right places. The familiar mech went to Jazz's berthside, on the side that neither Ratchet nor Arcee was on.

"Is it...really-"

"Yes, Jazz." Prowl said softly again, laying a feather-soft hand on Jazz's cheek.

Jazz could barely feel the hand, but felt a gentle coolness in the pace it was being lain. It seemed to radiate calmness.

"Jazz, I don't have much time." Prowl said, withdrawing his hand.

"Neither do Ah, Prowler." Jazz stated, smirking. "Ah'll be with ya soon, and Ah can really feel ya'."

Prowl shook his helm. "It can be the other way around."

"Wha'?" Jazz asked.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Prowl lay a feather-weight digit over Jazz's mouth to shush him.

"I don't have much time here, or in the AllSpark. My spark is being extinguished as we speak, rejected from the AllSpark." Prowl said, his voice becoming a bit faster.

"You're-"

"Jazz, if you want me back then you must take my frame to the AllSpark." Prowl said, becoming slightly blurred.

"Yer frame? Prowler, ya' aren't makin' any sense." Jazz stated.

"Jazz, please." Prowl stated, his voice begging just ever so slightly. "I will enter the Well of Sparks if you do not take my frame to the AllSpark."

Prowl began to fade even more, quickly becoming less and less opaque.

"Prowler, wait!" Jazz exclaimed, scrambling to sit up more and becoming tangled in the I.V.

"Jazz, I must go." Prowl said, his voice becoming softer and softer until it was no more then a whisper. "Please, Jazz. I don't want to see you suffer anymore."

"Prowler!" Jazz shouted, struggling even more against the tubing going into his servo.

"Hold him down!" a voice shouted.

"Prowler!" Jazz shouted again, feeling the tubing slide out of his servos as the room came back into room.

"Jazz, stop it!" Ratchet's voice shouted, grabbing Jazz as if he were seizing and holding him down.

"Get off'a meh!" Jazz shouted at the medic, struggling to get Ratchet off of him.

"Ratchet." Arcee said, taking Ratchet's servo. "He's all right."

"Jazz, what happened?" Ratchet asked, getting off of Jazz but still ready to grab him if he started to struggle again.

"Help meh up." Jazz ordered, struggling to get out of the berth.

"Jazz, you need to gain your strength back-"

"There ain't no time fer that!" Jazz exclaimed. "Ah gotta get ta' Prowler."

"Jazz." Arcee said softly. "Prowl isn't here anymore. He's-He's in the Well of Sparks."

"No 'e ain't! Didn't ya' see 'im? 'E was standin' right behind ya', 'Cee!" Jazz exclaimed, still struggling to get up.

"See who?" Ratchet demanded.

"Prowl!" Jazz nearly screamed.

"Jazz, you were seeing things." Ratchet stated.

"Ah wasn't! I swear, 'e was there." Jazz said defiantly. "We gotta get 'is frame ta' the AllSpark 'fore it kicks 'im out."

"Jazz, we can't do that. Prowl has been laid to rest." Ratchet argued. "And you need rest."

"Ah need Prowler back." Jazz growled. "Jus' lemme do this, doc. Please."

"Jazz-"

"What's ta' worst that can happen? Turns out Ah was wrong?" Jazz asked. "Please."

"Jazz, I-"

"I'll make ya' a deal!" Jazz continued, persistent. " If ya' lemme do this, Ah promise ta' do anythin' ya say and not fight ya no more."

"But, Jazz-" Ratchet continued.

"Ratchet." Arcee said, laying a hand on his servo. "Just let him do this. Maybe it'll give him some closure."

Ratchet sighed. That overpowering feeling was taking over again.

"All right." Ratchet agreed.

"Help meh up." Jazz repeated, struggling to his weak pedes.

Ratchet took one of his servos while Arcee did the same with his other.

"Where do we go first?" Arcee asked.

"We gotta get Prowler's frame." Jazz said.

Ratchet nodded.

"We need somethin' ta' carry 'im in." Jazz stated.

"I'll get a trailer." Ratchet said.

They were going to need one anyways. Most bots couldn't fit in an ambulance's hold. In that case, a medical trailer was used. Ratchet could use one of the larger ones that both Jazz and Prowl could fit in, as Jazz as not quite strong enough to transform let alone drive.

"Then let's get movin'!" Jazz exclaimed. "We ain't got much time."

* * *

Optimus slowly onlined again. The morning sunlight streamed into the room, making his processor-ache worse. When his optics had finally adjusted, he found himself face to face with his bondmate. He felt a warm, gentle digit stroke his warm, slightly flushed cheek.

"How are you feeling today?" Ultra Magnus asked. "Any better?"

Optimus shifted a bit, ducking his helm to cough once. He shuttered his optics, not finding it in him to answer his mate. He sighed as he felt a cool hand on his forehelm, and leaned into the touch. The hand moved down to his cheek, and the cool hand pressed both of them.

"Optimus." Ultra commented. "You're burning up."

"Funny." Optimus finally said. "The room's freezing."

"Cover up." Ultra ordered, tucking the blanket around Optimus some more.

Optimus mumbled something that sounded like a 'thanks', but was too quiet to really be picked up. Ultra Magnus stroked Optimus' helm a bit, pulling the smaller mech towards himself.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for work?" Optimus murmured.

"I'm not going in today." Ultra Magnus stated. "I think the bots at headquarters can get along without me for one day."

"You don't have to-" Optimus cut himself off with a coughing fit. "Have to stay because of me."

"It's all right." Ultra reassured him. "Just get some rest."

Optimus nodded a bit, snuggling into Ultra Magnus' chasis a bit. He felt Ultra start to stroke his back. He may not be heavy yet, but the motions felt good and lulled him into recharge.

* * *

Optimus slept most of the orn, his temperature spiking and dropping in unpredictable ways. As the sun set for the orn and Cybertron's two moons began to rise, the red and blue Prime began to take a turn for the worse.

He was still coughing, but not a thick type of cough like when one was clogged up. It was light and breathy, like when one was having trouble intaking and choked on the air. Optimus indeed as having trouble ventilating, and was wheezing and gasping a bit.

He was also in a good deal of discomfort, coming straight from his spark. He shifted back and forth, tossing and turning until he had become frightfully tangled in the warming blanket. He groaned a bit under his breath, trying to get comfortable as another sharp pain pierced him. He wasn't prepared for it and gasped, almost shouted.

Ultra Magnus had his servo wrapped around him in an instant, having not left his side for a moment.

"Are you all right?" Ultra Magnus asked as Optimus started to curl up on his side.

He received no answer except for short, ragged vents. Optimus was curled up very tight, his hand clutching his chest plate as the pain did not subside as it usually had, but increased in strength. He moaned, biting his glossa to keep from shouting.

"Optimus?" Ultra asked again.

Sharp, stabbing, twisting pain atop of sharp, twisting pain jabbed Optimus' spark, increasing in both speed and ferocity. Optimus' frame was trembling from the amount of strength it took to keep from screaming, as he was now shouting a bit.

Ultra Magnus was out of the berth, kneeling next to Optimus' side. Optimus reached out and grabbed his hand, gasping and shouting as he tried to speak. Ultra flinched a bit as he felt his hand metal begin to crunch, but said nothing other then to try and soothe Optimus.

"U-Ult-tra." Optimus gasped. "Some-something's wrong."

"What?' Ultra Magnus asked, beyond worried and over high alert.

"T-the sparkl-" Optimus gasped and shouted again, optics flashing as the pain got worse again.

Ultra Magnus used his free hand to jam his temple. He was not going to waste a single moment. It could mean either the life of his sparkling, his bondmate, or both.

: Emergency Operator, who is this and what is the emergency? : a calm and trained feminine voice asked.

: This is Ultra Magnus : the blue and white mech said quickly. :My bondmate's sparked :

: Has your mate gone into labour? : the 911 operator asked.

: No : Ultra Magnus answered. : It's still at his spark :

: What are his symptoms? : the operator asked.

Optimus shouted as he couldn't hold it back any longer, nearly screaming as his spark jerked about madly, as if threatening to jump from his very frame.

: He's in a lot of pain : Ultra Magnus answered. : He wasn't feeling well either-"

Optimus shouted again, optics shuttered tight. He was curled up in a tight ball, still clutching Magnus' hand.

: I am dispatching emergency responders right now : the operator stated.

"It'll be all right." Ultra Magnus said, stroking Optimus helm a bit as the pain seemed to subside enough for Optimus to stop crunching Ultra's hand.

Optimus tried to offer a weak smile, only managing to gasp and moan as a less torturous pain jabbed him. Ultra Magnus again pressed his comm. link, calling someone a bit closer. Someone right outside the door, actually.

: Yes, sir? : a gruff voice asked.

: Ironhide, there will be bots coming here soon. The gate needs to be unlocked : Ultra Magnus stated in great urgency.

: 'Course, sir : Ironhide replied, all ready typing in the code to unlock the large gate surrounding the perimeter. : Who should I be letting in? :

: The EMTs : Ultra Magnus replied.

The EMTs? What the heck could he need them for? This also worried the bodyguard.

: Do you need help, sir? : Ironhide questioned.

: No : Ultra Magnus said. : Just let the EMTs in and let them do their job :

: Yes, sir : Ironhide said before cutting off the link.

He could see flashing lights coming up the road, and heard the wailing of sirens. Someone was going to have to show them where Ultra Magnus and Optimus were, and someone would have to keep the press out.

"What's wrong?" a feminine, curt voice asked beside him.

Chromia, Ironhide's bondmate, was a thickly built blue femme. There could not have been a closer femme version of said mech anywhere in all of Cybertron. She was just as tough, just as strong, and just as blunt as her bondmate could be.

"Just keep the press out." Ironhide said over the blaring of sirens.

The EMTs had arrived, flashes of blue and red and white illuminating the press that seemed to always surround the Magnus' house. Ironhide manually pushed open the gate as Chromia took to his side, shoving back any of the bots trying to sneak in and get a report for their gossip columns.

The emergency vehicles, different Cybertronian fire engines and ambulances and even a police car or two, transformed and allowed the red mech to show them in. They burst into Ultra Magnus' room, just as Optimus was having another fit.

"Hold him down." one mech, the ambulance and an emergency medic, ordered.

The two policebots, one a black and white femme and the other a black and blue mech, pinned Optimus down as he arched in white hot pain.

Optimus slumped against the berth, obviously exhausted and too pained to make any legible words or sounds other then soft moans of coolant-less keens. Hands pressed sensors in his chassis, causing it to spring back and tuck itself away. Ironhide lowered his gaze as Optimus' spark was revealed to the entire room.

The ambulance was checking vitals and observing both sparks in the one chassis. Optimus' larger spark was fluctuating madly, spasming and jerking about as if possessed. The smaller spark was much dimmer then it should have been, slowly moving about and flashing now and then. It would jerk and twist every so often, causing Optimus great pain.

"Get him out to the trailer." the medibot ordered.

Optimus was not fully lucid as he was lifted to a transport gurney and strapped down a bit to keep him still. He became a bit more aware as they were about to exit the house, and he saw himself fully exposed. With a startled cry, Optimus tried to cover himself with his servos and snap his chassis shut.

"Don't do that." the ambulance ordered, signalling for a stop before they exited.

Optimus found out that he _couldn't_ do that, as temporary clamps held his chest plates back and open. He couldn't go out with his chest plates wide open! The press was out there. Even if they were held back by a gate, their holo-scanners could zoom in. Someone would get a good shot of his open chest and exposed spark, and it would go all over the media with a twisted explanation.

"Here." the firebot, all red and white, said.

He took a silver emergency warming blanket from his subspace and used it to cover Optimus. The bots pushing the gurney used one of their other hands to keep the blanket down as they finally got him out of the house and into the medical trailer. The ambulance bot quickly attached himself to it and sped off with his sirens blaring and lights flashing.

With a worried spark, Ultra Magnus started collapsed into his alt. mode to follow.

"Sir." Ironhide interrupted his Magnus' transformation. He hadn't left his charge's side once. "Allow me to go with you."

Having no time to argue, Ultra Magnus agreed. Both transformed and took off after the Emergency First Responders.

* * *

Author's Note- Guess what I'm doing with Prowl yet? This is what I firmly believe with TFA. Why do you think Prowl was able to save Optimus at the end of Endgame Part 2? He wasn't a ghost, he was stuck in the AllSpark. Since he was a part of it, and they didn't bring in all the shard pieces, he was able to use a stray AllSpark shard particale and pull Optimus from the explosive shield. Make since? IT BETTER! 

Also, can ya' guess whats gonna happen to Optimus? This story is very sad, but gets happier for both later on, I swear!

At Optimus' Girl- Thanks for all your reviews! Also, it's kinda funny that you said Optimus can't keep his 'gon down. (DO NOT READ IF YOU DON"T WANT SPOILERS!) Later on in the story, when Optimus is sparked again with a familiar black ninja-bot has all day morning sickness to the extreme while Optimus is as happy as a lark. (And yes, people can have all day morning sickness. My mom does and my Aunt has extreme morning sickness where she can't keep anything down for the first trimester.)


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jazz bit his bottom derma to keep from sobbing aloud. He couldn't hold back the coolant behind his visor though as he held the cold frame in his lap.

It had been a rather simple task getting Prowl's frame. There were no senturys there, and Jazz had the entrance code. The had simply walked in and taken his frame from the closed coffin. Prowl's frame had been lain in the trailer with Jazz, and Ratchet had waisted no time in reattaching himself to it and starting the trip to the AllSpark, driving slowly and evenly to keep from bumping his passengers around.

Jazz slowly dragged his digits on Prowl's gray cheek, using his other hand on his cold, gray servo. Sensei Yokitron's armour had been stripped off of him, and placed in a hall honoring fallen heroes. He looked just the way he had when Jazz had first met him, except now there was no shining black and gold and tan metal, or the flash of his visor.

Jazz felt the jarring trailer slow down and slide to a stop. The back was opened, and Arcee and Ratchet were visible in the moons' light. Jazz waited until Prowl had been pulled from his lap to climb out. Ratchet leaned the gray frame up against the side of the trailer before laying a hand on Jazz's shoulder.

"Jazz, are you sure you want to do this?" Ratchet asked. "The chances of this actually working-"

"I gotta, Ratch." Jazz replied, shaking off Ratchet's hand and scooping up his offlined bondmate's frame.

"How are you going to get in the temple?" Arcee asked.

After the AllSpark had been returned to Cybertron, it had been placed back in it's temple. Long before even the Great Wars had started, the AllSpark had been placed in a large building with three sections.

The first section was very bare, with nothing more then a few pools of a special, scented cleansing fluid used for purification. The second part of the temple was rather dark, the walls were painted dark brown with dark red tapestries hanging off of them. There were images and stained glass windows of the Thirteen Original Primes, and row after row of kneelers for prayers.

The thrid room was the most important and the largest. The final room was said to be the brightest, most magnificent room of all. The AllSpark itself resided in the room, a large and glowing yellow ball floating in the middle of the room. The walls were made of gold, the floor was made of silver, and both made the light shining from the spark intensify.

But those were just legends, so to speak. No one but a select few had ever been in the AllSpark Sanctuary. Only one bot was ever allowed to come in and out at will, the AllSpark Priest, so to speak. It was said that the Priests to the AllSpark knew much and were blessed with great wisdom, but often were quite queer or unapproachable due to the AllSpark affecting their processors.

Also, only the Priest knew how to get into the AllSpark Sanctuary. The door was hidden, if it even existed.

"We'll get in t'ere." Jazz said firmly, clutching Prowl's frame as if afraid that it would disappear like the sparks inside of it had.

They entered the magnificent building, immediately silencing their glossas as was tradition during the purification.

Jazz took immense care as he dragged a rag soaked with the incense infused water across Prowl's frame. He carefully washed each part of his bondmate's frame, making the gray metal shine like silver. Jazz took care of his own frame as well, but going much quicker. When finished, his blue parts shone like turquoise and his white parts were brighter and more sparkling then freshly fallen snow on a sunny day.

They entered the second part of the sanctuary, purified. Prowl's frame was lain up against the wall in a corner of the room. There was nobody else in the large room, as it was very late. Their very pedesteps echoed in the domed roof.

"We must speak to the Priest." Arcee said. "Even if we found the way to the AllSpark, we could not simply stroll in."

Ratchet agreed. Finding the Priest could serve to be as much as a problem as finding the door. The Priest very rarely ever made appearances other then in the 'church' part of the Temple, and then only at times of worship or tradition. As far as Ratchet knew, it was not time for worship nor where any religious holidays being worshiped.

"Anybot in 'ere?" Jazz shouted, his voice echoing eerily in the domed roof.

"Jazz!" Arcee exclaimed in a raised whisper. "You can't do that here."

"An' why not?" Jazz asked, still talking in a normal tone. "Ah ain't goin' till Prowler's gone the the AllSpark."

"You have to keep your voice down, Jazz." Ratchet ordered, whispering loudly as well.

Jazz opened his mouth to object, loudly, but a second loud voice beat him to it.

"Who dare disturb this place of peace?"

"Now you've done it." Ratchet mumbled, slapping his forehelm in the universal sign of distress and disbelief, a facepalm.

"Ah do." Jazz replied, calling back as he quickly looked about for the speaker. "Who are you? Naw, strike tha', where are ya'?"

"It does not matter who I am." the voice, aged and wise, replied. "You seek the AllSpark."

It was not a question, but a firm statement.

"Ah do." Jazz replied.

"The AllSpark has not given to me the reason of your quest. Tell me, why do you seek the AllSpark?" the voice seemed to come from all places at one and echoed again and again.

"Ah ain't gotta tell ya' nothin'." Jazz called out.

"Jazz, what are you doing?" Arcee asked. "Just tell him."

"Ah ain't talkin' ta a mech that Ah can't see face ta face." Jazz stated.

A chuckle sounded, low and warm. Pedesteps sounded from everywhere, until they faded away to a single pair. The three bots turned to see an old mech coming towards them, adorned in traditional metal and armour of a priest. It was royal red and blue, making two tails off the back, like an organic male's suit. He had white metalic spikes coming from his face, like a long beard. The metal seemed to flow though, instead of jutting out in sharp points.

Arcee, Ratchet, and Jazz quickly fell to their knees, knowing that this was the Priest. He glowed from direct contact with the AllSpark, and looked very wise.

"To your pedes." the mech replied. "I am Alpha Trion, although I am not the one in which you seek."

The three rose. Ratchet had to help Jazz up as the mech was still weak. Alpha Trion noticed this.

"Have you come for healing of yourself?" Alpha Trion asked.

Jazz shook his helm. "Ah don' think even the AllSpark could help meh."

"You come for another?" ALpha Trion questioned next.

Jazz nodded and pointed towards the gray frame in the corner of the room and only a few steps away. "Mah bondmate."

"The AllSpark gives and takes for reasons that we do not understand." Alpha Trion stated.

"Prowler was ta one that merged with the AllSpark." Jazz stated.

Alpha Trion's face lit up. "Prowl. The AllSpark has spoken of him. The AllSpark has _complained_ of him. Take up your mate and follow me."

Jazz's visor lit up hopefully as he rushed over to Prowl's frame and scooped it up.

"That was easy." Ratchet grumbled to Arcee, who nodded back.

"Come." Alpha Trion said quickly before turning on his heels and swiftly walking away.

For such an old mech, he was awfully light on his pedes. Jazz had trouble keeping up with him, but managed quite well. Alpha Trion stopped before a large, blank wall. There was nothing on it. No tapistried, no pictures, no windows. It was simply painted a dark red, and a good distance away from the front of the temple.

"You cannot enter." Alpha Trion said firmly, pointing threateningly at Arcee and Ratchet. "Only the white one and the gray one may enter."

"We'll wait out here." Arcee assured the mech.

Alpha Trion eyed them for a moment before turning and walking into the wall. Ratchet was about to yell at him to look out for the wall when Alpha Trion _hit _it. Instead of thudding though, a warbling noise came from the wall and he disappeared through it. Jazz would have been awestruck if he had cared, but he didn't care at all then. He followed without hesitation, and disappeared into the wall.

Arcee and Ratchet exchanged glances but said not a word.

* * *

Optimus arched in pain in the medical berth, all sorts of monitors connected to him. Ultra Magnus was holding his hand stroking his helm a bit. Optimus fell back into the berth with a clank, gasping and panting for vents.

"Ultra-" Optimus gasped.

"Shh. It's all right." Ultra Magnus said lowly.

"S-something's wrong." Optimus continued, fear lacing his usually calm and strong voice.

Multiple medics were wroking about him at that time.

"The sparkling is trying to detach and go to the chamber." one said to the couple.

"This is supposed to happen?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Not at all." the second medic replied.

"The sparkling is weak and can't detach properly." the first medic stated. "He's-"the medic stopped.

The second medic had a pitiful look on his face, mirroring the first medic's.

"He's losing the sparkling."the second medic finished.

Ultra Magnus' spark stopped. Optimus' exposed spark slowed down for a second before continuing it's sporadic pattern. Optimus' grip on Ultra's hand tightened.

"Is there anything that you can do?" Ultra questioned, his voice pleading.

"Sir, we are doing all that we can." the medic replied.

Ultra Magnus stood by Optimus' side for joors, while his fever spiked and dipped. While he arched in white hot pain or moaned in discomfort. After four joors had passed, Optimus was in the middle of another fit. He screamed, only half lucid as the pain threatened to tear his spark in two.

"U-Ultra!" Optimus shouted, reaching out for his mate.

"I'm right here." the Magnus' said, loud enough to be heard.

He gripped Optimus' hand as the other mech thrashed about until exhaustion took over and he slumped. The pain was nowhere near gone, but all he could do is keen and moan and gasp.

"We're losing both of them." one of the medics said sharply.

Another medic placed a hand over Optimus's spark, so close that he almost touched it. He began to send pulse after pulse of magnetism in it, trying to get it to stop spasming. Suddenly, Optimus' spark jarred hard and his mouth opened in a silent scream. A hand flew to his mouth, but not out of illness. He closed his optics tight and squeezed Ultra's hand far a second, as if offering comfort.

"Optimus?" Ultra questioned.

Optimus opened his optics without a word and just looked at him. His fevered optic were shining with coolant, and his hand remained still over his mouth. Ultra Magnus looked towards the medics, only to see their demeanors changed from urgency to sorrow. Suddenly, it dawned on him what had happened.

"Optimus." Ultra breathed out.

"I-" Optimus started, but started to scream again as his revealed spark flashed bright white before starting to dim.

"Get back." one of the medics ordered, shoving the Magnus back.

"Hold him down." a second medic ordered.

"Get the tranquilizer!" a third shouted.

The room started to fill with medics and nurses. Soft green hands took the Magnus' servo and le him from the room. The green hand disappeared and firm red and black ones grabbed him and pulled him from the room as the door shut.

"Ultra Magnus! Snap outta it." the red mech ordered, slapping the Magnus in the servo.

"It's gone." Ultra Magnus said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ironhide's grip loosened but didn't leave. Instead of restraining it comforted.

"I'm sorry." Ironhide said lowly.

Ultra Magnus shook his helm in disbelief. His hands balled into fists and his posture tightened. It took everything in him to not pound in the wall.

"Pimus dammit!" Ultra Magnus shouted, sinking into a chair.

"It's not your fault." Ironhide said.

Ultra Magnus shook his helm again and leaned forward with a heavy sigh, his servos dangling between his pedes. Ironhide took a seat next to him and placed a hand on the broad blue shoulder. All they could do now was wait. Wait and hope that Optimus was able to pull through.

* * *

"Lay him down here." Alpha Trion ordered.

Jazz stood still in shock. The AllSpark was before him, it's light both blinding and dazzling at once. Ones first instinct was to shield their optics, but one couldn't peel their optics away from it.

Jazz found himself moving, but he wasn't doing it...or was he? Everything seemed to be a slow blur, and hazed like a dream from vorns ago. Jazz blankly saw Prowl stretched out before the AllSpark, gray and offline. A yellow flash emitted from the AllSpark, and Prowl lay before the AllSpark, black and gold.

A soft moan came from the mech's vocalizer as he shifted. Jazz found himself on his knees, hands on the frame as the mech sat up.

"Jazz."the mech spoke in that familiar tone.

A black hand touched his face, but not feathery like the first time. It had weight and was warm.

"Prowler." Jazz choked.

"Jazz, it's all right." Prowl said.

Prowl found himself in a death hug, being squeezed like their was no tomorrow. Instead of being repulsed or stiff, he found himself embracing back, and patting Jazz's back. Alpha Trion stood still and silent for a few minutes. He sniffled ones, gaining attention of the two mech.

"That was beautiful." Alpha Trion said, wiping away a blue drop of coolant from his optics. "It is time to leave, though."

Jazz nodded and stood up, his strength back. He only needed to refuel, and he would be complete. His spark was healed, the bond restored by the AllSpark. Prowl needed some help to his pedes though, and weakly slumped against Jazz.

* * *

Ultra Magnus sat in a chair, bouncing his pede a bit. Ironhide sat in the chair next to him, but he had fallen into recharge joors ago. The first of Cybertron's moons had set, and yet Optimus was still in the closed off room. Ultra Magnus had paced, he had fought back tears, he cried. He had bit his glossa, and he had shouted.

Heavily venting, he shifted in his seat. He was unaware of another bot, and was slightly startled when a voice jerked him away from his thought.

"Ultra Magnus, sir?" a rather timid red femme started. "You-you can go see Optimus now."

Ultra Magnus was on his pedes in an instant.

"Hold on!" the femme exclaimed, her voice still shy and soft. "I need to warn you, he is heavily drugged and will be rather lethargic."

"That's all right." Ultra Magnus stated. "I just want to see him."

"He's in room B-8." the femme said.

Ultra Magnus quickly left her, all but running to the closed door. He paused before it a second, and took a deep vent. Slowly, painfully slow, he typed in a common 'open' command and the door slid open. He stepped in, and it automatically shut behind him.

The room was a typical hospital berthroom. The walls were painted pure, clean white. The berth was in the middle of the room, the headboard away from the wall just enough for it to rise and lower at will. A spark monitor beeped lowly by one side of the berth, and an I.V bag filled with hydrating liquids and strong painkillers hung next to the monitor. The room was also a bit dark, the lights having been dimmed for Optimus to rest.

Ultra Magnus silently crept next to the berth and pressed Optimus' hand. He slowly used his free hand to brush Optimus' cheek and stroke his forehelm. The red and blue mech moaned a bit, his helm lolling towards Ultra Magnus before swinging away again. Optimus groggily forced his optics open, and stared blankly for a moment as his optics adjusted.

"U-Ultra?"

"I'm right here, Optimus." the Magnus' assured the bot.

Optimus did not seem comforted, and turned his helm away as he had not enough strength to completely turn away. His drugged mind could only think of what was missing. The second spark that was not in his chest. His intakes hitched, and coolant pooled on his optics.

"Optimus." Ultra breathed out.

He had no idea what to do. He had never seen Optimus cry before. In truth, Optimus never really had cried before. The last time he had was when he had been sent away from the Elite Guard, and Ultra Magnus.

"I-I'm sorry." Optimus choked out in a whisper. "I-I tried, but it jus- I m-mean I couldn't-I'm sorry."

"Optimus, look at me." Ultra Magnus ordered, gently but completely firm.

Optimus didn't move, nor did his intakes stop hitching. Ultra Magnus used a single digit to hook under his chin and turn it towards him. Ultra Magnus held back a vent as he looked at the shuttered optics.

"Optims, please."

The optics slowly unshuttered, trails of blue coolant sliding down the metal cheeks.

"Optimus, this was not your fault. It was out of your control, my control, the medics-no one could have stopped this from happening." Ultra Magnus said, wiping away a drop of coolant with his thumb digit.

Optimus sucked in air, letting it out in an attempt to calm down. Ultra Magnus cradled his helm with one hand as he stroked him with the other. Optimus' vents soon calmed down, and he fell into a light, but exhausted recharge.

* * *

"It's been awhile." Ratchet commented, tapping his pede.

"Be patient, Ratch." Arcee said, laying a hand on his servo.

Before she could continue, a warbling noise came from the wall and Alpha Trion stepped out. Two kliks passed by, and Jazz appeared, supporting Prowl on his shoulder.

"Prowl!" Arcee gasped.

Ratchet didn't say anything, but sent a beam over him to scan him. He was low on energy, but that was about it. He was back to normal, exactly the way he was before. Well...almost the way he was before the merging.

"Jazz..." Prowl started. "You do know that-that the sparkling is gone, right?" he asked, very slowly.

Jazz nodded. "Ah figured tha'."

Alpha Trion stepped forward and placed a hand over Prowl's chest.

"Fear not, young one." he stated." You will conceive."

"I know I am capable of becoming sparked." Prowl replied, almost harshly but not quite.

Alpha Trion shook his helm as he moved his hand down to Prowl's stomach plating. "You will conceive, carry, and _birth_."

Prowl just shook his helm a bit. He wanted to believe that. How badly he wanted to believe that! He had failed so many times before though... What was he to believe?

"Thank you." Prowl said, to all the bots surrounding him.

"Go, young ones." Alpha Trion ordered. "Your reason of appearance is no more, leave in peace."

"Thank ya'." Jazz stated, still supporting Prowl.

Alpha Trion shook his helm. "The AllSpark was expecting you. I would have been dissobeying if I hadn't let you in. Now go, I'm sure there is much you want to catch up on."

The last part was said with a suggestive wink. Prowl was a bit floored, as were the others.

"Aren't Priest supposed to be-"

"Celibate?" Alpha Trion finished for the shocked femme. "I am, but let an old mech fantasize."

With that, Alpha Trion turned and left. He seemed to both walk away and disappear into thin air once again. His footsteps went from a single pair to echoing thousands. Ratchet turned to the two, reunited Cyber-ninjas.

"Let's get the both of you home." Ratchet stated.

"Ah couldn't agree more." Jazz smirked, fondling Prowl's servo.

On the way back to the hospital, as Ratchet wanted to check the both of them before sending them back to Headquarters, Jazz leaned over to the mech propped against the wall next to him.

"Ah missed ya', Prowler."

"And I you." Prowl replied back, voice just as low. "More then you will ever know."

The next thing Prowl knew was that a mouth was pressed to his in a loving, passionate kiss.

* * *

Author's Note- Yes, I killed two sparklings in one chapter. It's all part of the plot and the story, I swear.

Yes, Alpha Trion is a dirty, old, crazy mech. For an AllSpark priest, that is.

Also, Ironhide is more G1 then TFA.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"So, what exactly happened?" Ultra Magnus asked, holding Optimus' hand as the latter mech lay in a medi-berth.

"The sparkling was not completely formed." the medic, a rather short mech of red and black, explained. "It couldn't separate from Optimus' spark properly, and went out."

Optimus simply nodded. He no longer cared about what had happened, only knew that it had and the spark was no longer with him. He only wanted to go home, nothing more. The medic spoke with Ultra a few more breems before leaving to get some discharge papers. Ultra filled them out for Optimus, who had fallen into a sullen silence. Optimus didn't even seem aware of anything until the Magnus nudged him a bit.

"Hmm?" Optimus hummed.

"It's time to go." Ultra Magnus said gently.

Optimus nodded as he got up, a bit unsteady on his pedes. He was able to transform, but drove rather slowly. Once home, he ignored everything and simply climbed into bed. Ultra Magnus sighed as he peered into the berthroom, noticing his curled up mate that feigned recharge.

* * *

"Prowler-"

"No."

"But Prowl-"

"No, Jazz." Prowl replied firmly.

"It's been so long though." Jazz whined.

"Jazz..."

"We don' have'ta merge." Jazz started, snuggling closer to his mate in their berth.

Ratchet had sent them home that morning, claiming that the two of them were perfectly fine. They had gone back to Headquarters, most bots stalling as they saw Prowl. The place was abuzz with the news, but neither mech could care less.

"Please, Prowler." Jazz asked lowly, seductive even.

He pulled Prowl closer to him, caressing the black face. He pulled Prowl into a strong, exploring kiss. When it was finally broken, Prowl found himself gasping a bit for air.

"All right." Prowl finally agreed. "No merging though."

"All righty then." Jazz replied, flipping Prowl over and climbing on top of him.

The two bots let loose, screaming each others names from time to time. Later on, they would be thankful that the rooms were sound proof unless one pressed their audio to the door and turned it up to the highest level, but who cared about wall thickness when one was interfacing?

Protocol took over, and Prowl's and Jazz's chassis slid back simultaneously. With a feral growl, Jazz leaned forward and closed the gap between their sparks. Prowl cried out in pure ecstasy, his spark leaping forward to meet Jazz's. As an overload started to hit, Prowl suddenly realised what they were doing.

"N-no!" Prowl cried out, frantically trying to push Jazz away.

Realization hit Jazz like a punch to the face, and jumped back as if he had been struck.

"Prowl...I-I-"

Prowl just shook his helm, face in his hands. He wasn't crying, but was distraught. How could they have sparkmerged? He wasn't ready! It was too soon, they having just gotten back together and having lost another sparkling. It was just too soon.

"I'm sorry." Jazz whispered, curling up next to Prowl as the mech struggled to stop trembling.

Prowl shook his helm. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have- Just forget it. I doubt anything happened anyways."

"Prowl, what about wha' Alpha Trion said? 'Bout you-"

"Alpha Trion is insane." Prowl stated firmly.

"But the AllSpark coulda done somethin' to ya. Alpha Trion said that we would have a sparklin'."

"Alpha Trion also told us to go home and make out." Prowl replied.

"Didn' we?" Jazz asked.

"Well, of course we did." Prowl said. "We would have done so whether he had told us to or not."

Jazz sighed. "Ah guess yer right."

Prowl just shrugged one shoulder, not at all sure himself. He was tired, his frame still a bit sore from his coming back. Also his spark felt funny, but it had felt a little off ever since he had left the AllSpark. It should wear off soon, and merging had actually made it feel better.

Prowl wanted a sparkling. We wanted one badly, as much as Jazz if not more. They had tried for vorns though, stellar cycles even. He had had his hopes raised and smashed mercilessly too many times though. He was not going through that again. Ever...right?

* * *

"Optimus, you need to get up." Ultra Magnus stated.

Orns had passsed. Three to be exact. Optimus had done nothing those days except lay curled up in the berth, never eating, never talking unless spoken to and even then only a short answer, and barely moving.

Optimus vented heavily, but didn't even turn to look Ultra in the face.

"Optimus, you need to get up. Laying there isn't going t fix anything." Ultra Magnus said.

"You don't understand." Optimus mumbled.

Ultra Magnus' fist balled a bit. "I don't understand?"

"It wasn't in you." Optimus stated, still mumbling.

"It was half of me, Optimus." Ultra Magnus said, his voice raised just ever so slightly.

Optimus was a bit surprised to hear the anger in his mates voice, but still made no attempt to move.

"It wasn't in you, Ultra. I felt it. I felt the very moment it went out."

"It was still my sparkling as much as it was yours." Ultra Magnus replied, loud enough to make Optimus actually look at him. "You don't see me moping around though, depressed. You have to move on. Yes, it's gone and it's terrible, but we can try again. The medics said that we should be able to have one normally. It was an accident out of our control."

"Ultra-"

"No." Ultra Magnus stopped him. "I don't want to hear it."

His fists, which had been so tight that he had actually dented his own armour, unclenched as if spring powered. He turned and started to leave.

"Where are you going?" Optimus called after him.

"A walk." Ultra replied shortly. "In the gardens. Feel free to join me at any time."

With that the door slid closed and Optimus was left alone once again in the berthroom. He wanted nothing more then to curl up again and forget about everything. That was the problem though, laying there only made him think about it more. The more he thought about it, the less he wanted to do.

He was hungry, or knew that he should probably eat something. He knew that he needed a wash and to get up. He needed to get back to work, something to get his mind off of it.

But work was just another place to be reminded of what he had lost. Everyone knew that he had been sparked, thanks to Bumblebee. That had been the plan though. He had heard whispers about a sparkling shower later in his third trimester, but all of that was gone now. He was left with an empty space in his spark that couldn't be filled.

"Ultra's right." Optimus said aloud, breaking the melancholy silence the room was in.

Ultra was more then right, Ultra was hurting. Ultra had been hurting and needed support just as much as Optimus did.

Optimus rose from the berth and quickly downed the cube of energon Ultra Magnus had thoughtfully placed there for him orns ago. He then went into the wash racks and quickly rinsed off. In less then five bleems he found himself in the crystal gardens behind the house. He joined Ultra in silence, neither one speaking as they strolled the crystal garden.

* * *

Jazz rolled over under the warming blankets. He was still warm, but strangely cold at the same time. His servo brushed out to touch Prowl, only to hit air. He shot up like a bullet, frantically looking about the room.

What if it had only been a dream? No, the berth was still warm on his half. He _had_ been there. Had he gone out? No, the door was still locked and the keypad was untouched. If he was still in the two and a half room 'apartment', if it could even be called that, where the frag was he?

A choked cough came from the wash racks, the door closed. The door to the wash racks was never closed all the way unless occupied. The latrine flushed and running fluids came from the tap. The door slid open and Prowl was revealed, looking a little worse for ware. His face was wet from the cleaning fluids he had splashed on his face, and looked like the Pit had frozen over.

"Are ya' all right?" Jazz asked.

Prowl simply groaned a bit, ignoring him.

"Come under the covers with meh." Jazz offered, lifting a side of the blanket.

"Jazz, I am not in the mood for your innuendos." Prowl mumbled.

Jazz snickered. "Ah ain't suggestin' anythin', unless ya' want meh to."

Prowl sighed in exasperation as he slid back into the berth. He lay on his side, his back to Jazz. A white servo snuck out and wrapped around his waist to pull him back. The hand snapped away as Prowl smacked it.

"Don't touch me there." Prowl ordered through clenched teeth.

Prowl slapped again. "Or there."

Defeated, a white hand drew away from the black aft. Jazz managed to pull Prowl up to him, and held him close as he stroked the black servo. Prowl remained silent for a few breems, and Jazz soon thought that he had fallen into recharge again.

"Ugh, Jazz?" Prowl asked.

"Yeah?"

"Can you go into the wash racks and get me the bottle of acid relievers?" Prowl asked.

"Um, sure." Jazz said, reluctantly leaving his mate's warm side.

A shiver went up his back struts as his pedes hit the cold floor. He went into the wash racks quickly and opened a drawer under the tap. He pulled out a clear bottle filled with a artificial, cotton candy pink liquid. It's cap doubled as a measuring cup, so he didn't have to go get an eating utensil.

"Here ya' go." Jazz offered.

Prowl turned over and started to take it. He looked at the bottle, and that at Jazz in almost confusion.

"Where did you get this?"

"The cupboard."

"It's the wrong one." Prowl said quickly.

"It is?" Jazz asked, rubbing the back of his helm. "I coulda sworn-"

"There's one on the counter." Prowl said, handing him back the bottle.

"Er, all right." Jazz said, not at all sure.

He went back into the wash racks and but the bottle back in the cupboard. He looked at the silver, stainless steel counter. There were only a few products on it, mainly consisting of polishes and waxes. He couldn't find a bottle of Acid Relievers though.

"Ah can't find it." Jazz called back, still looking at the counter without moving a thing.

"It should be by the test." Prowl said, trying to control his irritation.

"The test?"

Jazz heard Prowl get up, the berth squeaking as all weight was quickly taken off.

"Don't get up, Ah'll get it." Jazz said, hurriedly looking about.

In his haste he knocked over a small, plastic device. It clattered to the floor just as Prowl started to enter the wash racks.

"Ah thought Ah said ta' stay in bed." Jazz said as he picked up the plastic device.

Just where had it come from anyways? He was certain that it had bot been there last night.

"You seemed to be having trouble finding it." Prowl stated.

He made no move from the doorway though. Jazz's attention was elsewhere, focused on the two fat lines on the screen of the plastic device.

"Is this wha' I think it is?" Jazz asked, both afraid and hopeful at the same time. He knew good and well what it was, now anyways.

Prowl nodded. "Yes, Jazz. I'm sparked."

Prowl soon found it hard to keep his balance as he was glomped.

"Jazz!"

"Yer sparked, Prowler!"

"I know, Jazz." Prowl replied. "I only took the test so that you would have your proof."

"Do ya' think-" Jazz asked, now simply just holding his mate close.

"I don't want to." Prowl replied. "It would be best not to get out hopes up."

"Ah can't help tha' though." Jazz stated, a large smile on his face plates, hiding the fear.

"Fine then." Prowl almost snapped. "Keep your hopes up, but be prepared to have them crushed."

"Alpha Trion said tha' we would have a sparklin'." Jazz stated. "An' actually have one."

Prowl's visor dimmed a second. "Alpha Trion is insane."

Prowl's tank, at that moment, gave an unsettling lurch, as if reprimanding him for talking bad about the Priest. He quickly rushed over to the latrine and purged for the second time that morning. With a groan of disgust he quickly flushed it away and stood up unsteadily. As he splashed cold fluid on his face again, he caught sight of a pink bottle on the counter, right next to a canister of wax. The second bottle Acid Relievers.

* * *

"Are ya' sure ya' wanna get a job all ready?" Jazz asked a few orns after the surprise.

"Jazz' it has been nearly two weeks since I've come back." Prowl stated.

"So?"

Prowl sighed and rolled his optics behind his visor as they entered the main Headquarters.

The place they were staying at was technically 'Headquarters', but was a separate building. More like a bunk house. It was located at the end of the block, and the actual Autobot HQ was on the opposite side of the block.

"This 'ere is Ultra Magnus' office." Jazz announced as they neared the door after an elevator ride.

"I can handle this myself, Jazz." Prowl stated. "You do not need to come with me."

"It's all right." Jazz said. "Ah wanna come with."

Prowl only nodded, fighting his 'morning' sickness still. He was one of those lucky bots that had morning sickness all day long, and could and would purge at random moments with little to no warning.

"Ya' comin'?" Jazz asked. "Ah called ahead earlier. Jus' gotta knock."

Prowl nodded, swallowing down the bitter taste in the back of his throat and knocking three times. The door slid open, and Ultra Magnus looked up from a data-pad.

"Prowl, Jazz." Ultra greeted as they two Cyber-ninja's entered and the door slid closed behind them. "It is nice to see the both of you."

"Good ta' see ya' again." Jazz said as he helped Prowl into a chair, even though Prowl was scowling at him.

"It is a pleasure to see you again." Prowl returned.

"I was going over your history before you came." Ultra Magnus stated, getting right into business. "I have found a few places that I believe you would fit into quite nicely."

"Thank you, sir." Prowl replied.

"One of them is Security Director." Ultra Magnus said. "And the other is in Tactics. I must warn you, there is a lot of paperwork involved in Tactics."

"That is all right." Prowl replied.

"There are a few other open spaces, but with your logic processor and battle computer the Tactics seem like a better choice." Ultra Magnus continued.

"Hol' on." Jazz said. "You gotta logic processor and battle computer?"

"Yes." Prowl replied, actually a bit surprised that Jazz didn't know. "I've had them since I was a youngling."

"How come Ah never know 'bout them?" Jazz asked.

"I didn't make it a habit of using them all the time, due to a glitch in the systems." Prowl replied.

"Hmm."Ultra Magnus thought. "I was not aware of a glitch."

"It is nothing serious, really." Prowl assured the Magnus. "It was just when I heard something illogical my logic processor would overload and cause a crash. I simply need to reboot if that happens. Only once did it require a medic's assistance."

"And when did that happen?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"The first time I met Jazz." Prowl said, feeling his face warm up in embarrassment. "Sensei Yokitron had to manually reboot me."

"Ah remeber tha'." Jazz smirked. "Ah thought ya' jus' passed out."

"After that I made it a habit to turn off them both when they were not needed." Prowl stated.

"I see." Ultra Magnus replied. "If it suits you, you may report down at Tactics to be set up."

"Thank you, sir." Prowl replied, starting to rise as Ultra Magnus did so.

A sudden bout of vertigo and wave of nausea hit Prowl though, knocking him back into the seat.

"Are ya' all right?" Jazz asked, placing a hand on his black and gold shoulder.

"Fine." Prowl breathed out, taking a few intakes.

"Is he all right?" Ultra Magnus asked as Prowl took a few more vents.

"'E's fine." Jazz said. "'E's sparked."

"What?"

"Jazz." Prowl hissed as he forced himself to his pedes, holding the back of the chair for support. "I thought we agreed on not telling anyone."

"You have my word that your secret is safe with me." Ultra Magnus assured them.

"Thank you." Prowl said, sounding greatly relieved.

"Before you leave, I would like to ask a favor of you both." Ultra Magnus said. "I take it that you have heard about Optimus?"

Jazz nodded. "Yes,sir. I'm terribly sorry about it all."

Prowl remained silent, only nodding his helm as he had heard about Optimus' miscarriage.

"Optimus has been rather upset." Ultra continued. "If it is not too much to ask, I was hoping that maybe the both of you would come over."

"Cheer OP up?" Jazz asked.

"Exactly." Ultra Magnus replied.

Prowl continued to remain silent, not trusting his own voice.

"Ah think we can do that." Jazz said with a rather sad smile.

"It would mean a lot to Optimus and me." Ultra Magnus stated.

"All righty then." Jazz replied. He checked his internal chronometer, flinching as he noticed that he was late. "Ah gotta go 'fore I get inta trouble."

Prowl actually smirked a bit as Jazz took him and almost dragged him out of the room.

"It was an honor seeing you again." Prowl called over his shoulder as the door slid closed.

Ultra Magnus sat back down to finish his report as Jazz hurriedly went to clock in.

* * *

Author's Notes- Yep, Prowl's sparked and Jazz was oblivious for about ten breems(minutes). I mean honestly, with how many times Prowl was sparked... (By the way, a story with one-shot chapters showing each of Prowl and Jazz's losses will be written soon. If you have any questions or suggestions about it, now is your only chance as I do not usually take suggestions.)

And don't worry about Optimus. He and Ultra Magnus will be fine. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Prowl and Jazz paused before the large gate protecting the Magnus' house. A few guards were placed on either side, and two more were on the inside. More were scattered about, protecting the house and guarding the gate.

"It's the same Optimus." Prowl stated, trying to both assure himself and Jazz as the gate buzzed and opened.

"Some guard duty." Jazz stated as they walked in, being eyed suspiciously by every guard as they were passed.

"The Magnus needs to be protected." Prowl stated as they neared the rather humble house.

Prowl went to knock, only to start back as the door was suddenly opened by a red bot. He looked hard at Prowl, glaring at him in a threatening way. Prowl actually took a step back, brushing Jazz a bit just from intimidation.

"What are you doing here?" the mech asked, his voice rather similar to Ratchets, gruff and not to be messed with.

"We, uh, were invited by the Magnus." Prowl explained, nervously tripping over his words.

Ironhide shifted, making sure that both of his arm canons were seen. "Why was I not-"

"Ironhide?" a familiar voice came from the hall behind the door.

"Ultra Magnus." Ironhide said, turning and standing straight up. "These two claim to be invited. I was not informed of this. Should I send them away?"

"That will not be necessary." Ultra Magnus stated. " I did invite them. It must have slipt my processor."

Ironhide grunted as he stepped aside, alowing Jazz and Prowl to enter. Ironhide took his post by the door as Ultra Magnus led them into the actual house.

"You'll have to forgive Ironhide. He can be a bit rough at times, but he means well." Ultra Magnus explained.

He led them into a sitting room. Optimus had been in there, waiting for them. He rose from his seat and went to greet his teammate and teammate's mate.

"It's good to see you again." Optimus said, an sincere smile on his faceplates as he shook both Jazz's and Prowl's hand.

"It's nice ta' see ya' too." Jazz replied.

"Please, have a seat." Optimus offered, motioning towards a loveseat across from another one, separated by a coffee table.

"Um...actually." Prowl declined, shifting a bit as he tried to keep his face plates from heating up. "I need to use your wash racks."

"All right." Optimus replied, telling him how to get there.

Prowl disappeared down the hall. Jazz smirked as he sat down.

"'E was sick on ta' way 'ere." Jazz snickered.

"Prowl's ill?" Optimus asked.

"Not exactly." Jazz stated. "'E's...he's kinda sparked."

"Sparked?" Optimus asked. "That's wonderful."

"More then you know." Jazz stated, looking a bit downcast.

"Is there something wrong?" Ultra Magnus asked.

Jazz shifted, obviously uncomfortable about answering. He sucked air in, letting it out slowly.

"Ya' see, this ain't exactly his first time sparked." Jazz slowly stated.

Optimus looked confused, as did Ultra Magnus. Jazz inwardly sighed as he saw that he was going to have to explain more of this touchy subject.

"He...lost a-a few sparklin's before." Jazz explained, still slow.

"I'm sorry, Jazz." Ultra Magnus said, reaching over the short distance to pat the white mech's knees.

"Jazz." a rather sharp voice snapped behind the loveseat.

Jazz started a bit.

"I thought we agreed not to speak of it." Prowl stated, glaring at the other visored mech with a voice that hid the pain and hurt well, but not completely.

"Prowler, they'll get it." Jazz returned.

Prowl scowled as he took a seat besides his mate. Optimus bit his glossa for a few moments as an awkward silence filled the room.

"How...how many time were you sparked?" Optimus asked hesitantly.

"More times then I wish to count." Prowl replied, fixating his optics on a piece of his pede armour.

"Ta' first time was with Yokitron." Jazz said to Prowl.

"Jazz." Prowl said in a slightly warning voice.

"Ya' was sparked when ya' merged." Jazz added.

"You were sparked on base?" Optimus asked.

"Yes." Prowl said quickly. "Soon after Jazz came with Setinel and during the time in which he remained on earth."

"I never knew." Optimus said. "You were in battle, and then Lockdown. You were squeezed! And then-"

"I know." Prowl said quickly, cutting him off. "No one was supposed to know. Could we please change the subject?"

"Yes, but please allow me one last question." Optimus asked.

"What?" Prowl asked, obliging but reluctant.

"Do you know why you lost them?" Optimus asked. "I mean, I was told that my sparkling was too weak."

Prowl nodded, understanding. "I'm not exactly built for carrying."

"You are a carrier, are you not?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"'E is." Jazz answered.

"My spark is a bit too weak to carry, and my chamber is too small." Prowl answered, feeling his face heat up. " I can carry, it is just difficult."

"I see." Optimus replied. "I'm, sorry. I shouldn't have pried."

Prowl shook his helm. "It's all right, I simply do not wish for it to become common knowledge that I can't keep a sparkling full term."

"You say that so easily." Optimus stated.

"The first time is the hardest." Prowl stated.

"It 'urts every time it happens." Jazz finished. "Ya' don' ever get used to the pain, only learn ta' cope with it better."

"I don't think you will have the same problems." Prowl reassured the nervous red and blue mech.

Optimus shook his helm. He certainly hoped not. The subject was changed to something a bit less private and touchy, and the rest of the visit was rather pleasant.

* * *

Jazz slowly massaged his mate's back struts as said mate hunched over the latrine. It had only been an orn or two since the visit, but it had been long enough for Prowl to have one of his 'bad days'.

"Are ya' done?" Jazz asked. A strained retch answered him. "Guess not."

Prowl choked and coughed a few times, holding his upper helm as his elbow joints were propped against the rim of the latrine. He sat there, gasping for a few seconds. He leaned forward, mouth pressed closed, and leaned back as the feeling passed. He took a deep breath and flushed the latrine, flinching at the sight of the half processed energon and oil swirling around the bowl. He picked up a chamois and wiped off his mouth, balled it up, and let it drop to the ground.

"Wanna get back ta' the berth?" Jazz asked.

Prowl contemplated it for only a nano-sec. "Please."

"Come on." Jazz said gently, helping Prowl to his pedes.

The room spun for the black and gold mech as he rose to his pedes. He wobbled unsteadily and clutched Jazz like a lifeline.

"Easy." Jazz said lowly, holding Prowl a bit tighter.

Prowl felt his tank gurgle, and grimaced at the thought of purging again. Even though a quick check with his logic processor told him that the action was inevitable, Prowl was going to fight it denta and claw. A bout of vertigo hit him, and he stumbled even before they had taken three steps.

"Ugh." Prowl groaned. "It-might be best...if I stay in here."

"Ya' sure?" Jazz asked.

Prowl let go of Jazz and slipped down the wall to the floor. "Yes."

Jazz nodded and left for a few breems. When he returned, he had the padding from the berth and a warming blanket. Prowl raised an optic ridge but said nothing as Jazz made him a small bed in a corner of the wash racks, the corner closest to the latrine.

"Jazz." Prowl croaked. "You'll be late if you keep procrastinating."

"Ah don' think I should go in today." Jazz replied. "You can't go ta' work, an' Ah don't wanna leave ya'."

"I'll be fine." Prowl said after crawling into the makeshift berth. "You're only a block away and I can comm. you if I must."

Jazz looked unsure. "What if somethin' happens and ya' can't comm meh?"

"I'll be fine!" Prowl weakly exclaimed. He pressed a few digits to his lips for a second before exventing hard. "You don't have to worry."

"Ah can't help it." Jazz replied. "Ah don't want ta lose ya' again, an' I don't wanna lose another sparklin'."

Prowl's visor dimmed at that. "We will both be fine, Jazz."

"Are ya' sure?"

"Jazz! You're going to be late."

"Comm. meh if ya' get worse or if anythin' happens." Jazz said quickly, noticing just how close he was pushing it. "If Ah can't get back 'ere at noon, Ah'm sendin' somebot ta check on ya'."

"That's not necessary." Prowl tried to argue, but stopped after a look from Jazz.

The white mech cast one more glance at his mate, ever reluctant to leave, before leaving. After the front door slid closed, Prowl quickly jerked back over the latrine to purge for what felt like the thousandth time that day.

* * *

Jazz sat at his desk, filling out paperwork. How he hated paper work! Paperwork and monitor duty, gifts from Unicron himself. He felt like bashing his face off the desk multiple times, if only to give himself something to do. Something to do that wasn't so Primus awful.

He checked his internal chronometer.

"Frag," he muttered.

It was past noon. Almost half a joor past noon. He had promised Prowl that he would check on him. He had tried to comm. him awhile ago, but hadn't gotten through. He was beyond worried now as Prowl still hadn't called him back.

Jazz pushed aside the unfinished pads and rose from his seat. He quickly went through the halls and rapped on a door.

"It's open."

Jazz slid it open and entered.

"Jazz?" Optimus asked. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Sir." Jazz started, as there was rank here."I need somebot to go to the bunks and check on Prowl."

"Prowl isn't here?" Optimus asked, rather surprised.

"He's not havin' a very good day. The sparklin's makin' him sick." Jazz said. "When I left 'e was on the wash rack floors. I didn't want ta' come into work-"

"I understand." Optimus interrupted, raising one of his hands. "I can send Agent Blurr out to check on him. He can get there quickly."

Jazz smirked. "Ah know 'e can."

Agent Blurr had returned only a few weeks before Prowl had been restored. He had been crushed, but not killed, by 'Longarm Prime', a.k.a Shockwave. A garbage mech had discovered a strange blue glow from one of the trash cubes, only to find that it wasn't trash. Blurr's spark had been transplanted into a new protoform, and had been completely restored back to his speedy delf.

"Thank ya'." Jazz said, feeling a bit more relieved as he left Optimus office.

He went back to his own and sighed. Damn that paperwork!

* * *

"You-wanted-to-see-me-sir?" Blurr asked, his words toppling and jamming into each other like a high speed car crash.

"Yes, Blurr." Optimus replied. "I need you to check on a mech. Head tactician, Prowl."

"Yes-sir. I -can-do-that-sir. I-can-do-that. Where-is-he-and-what-is-the-message?" Blurr asked.

"There is no message." Optimus replied. "Prowl is sparked and ill. Jazz has asked that someone check on him as he is unable to."

"I-see. I take-it-that-he-is-at-the-bunks? Well-of-course-he-is. If-he's-sick-then-he-wouldn't-be-here-and-you-woul dn't-need-someone-to-check-on-him."

"Blurr!" Optimus interjected.

"Sorry,sir."

Optimus chuckled a bit. "Just don't run over any pedestrians."

"A-mech-runs-into-someone-once-and-he-can-never-li ve-it-down! Never-never-never!" Blurr exclaimed.

"You are dismissed." Optimus said, trying desperately hard not to laugh.

Blurr raced from the room, a blue and white trail staying behind him for only a second as he sped down the halls. He streaked down the stairs, his pedes being much faster then an elevator, and pounced out the door. He weaved between bots of all sorts on the streets, and zoomed into the bunks. He knew Jazz's and Prowl's apartment room, and was soon rapidly knocking on it at a speed that would have made the Flash turn green with envy.

There was no answer. He knocked again at lightning speed, breaking the hundred's point in mere nano-secs. Again he was not answered. Without hesitation(and if there had been it was for a split second) he keyed in the open command.

He quickly looked into the berthroom and saw that it was untouched, but missing some padding and a few blankets. The only other place to check was the wash racks. He looked in and started a bit. Prowl was in there all right, but not the way he had expected.

He was on the floor, but not on the makeshift berth. His helm was on it's side, his mouth slightly agape, and his visor a dull, charcoal gray.

"Prowl?" Blurr asked. "Are-you-awake?"

There was no answer. Blurr slowly, yes actually slowly, crept forward and poked Prowl. His frame moved in motion with the jab, but nothing voluntary. Blurr shook him a bit, trying to revive hi.

"Prowl? Prowl? Prowl-Prowl-Prowl?"

Prowl moaned a bit and his visor flickered before going gray once again. Blurr carefully propped him against the wall and shook him again. Nothing.

Blurr went to the tap and turned it on. He cupped his hands under the blue stream. He then flicked the cold liquid onto Prowl's faceplates. Prowl shifted, but slumped again. Blurr did it again, and again in rapid recession until he was dizzy from spinning around so many times. It worked though, and Prowl moaned before onling his visor.

"J-Jazz?"

"Nope-not-Jazz. It's-Blurr. You-remember-me-don't-you? You-were-chasing-me-for-speeding-with-that-yellow- one-who-called-me-Speedy. I-hate-that-nickname. Anyways-Jazz-sent-me-to-check-on-you. Actually-Optimus-sent-me-but-Jazz-asked-him-to-so- technically-"

"I get it." Prowl said quickly.

He moaned a bit and pinched the bridge of hi solfactory sensor. He didn't know if the processor ache was from the dehydration or trying to decode Blurr's speech, or both. Blurr pressed his comm. link and called Jazz, updating him on the situation.

Jazz wasn't really surprised. Prowl had passed out before from dehydration. He was worried, but knew what to do.

: Can ya keep an optic on 'im 'till Ah can get off mah shift?: Jazz asked.

:Sure-I-can. Is-there-anything-I-should-do?: Blurr returned.

:Get 'im in ta' bed. Ya' might wanta put a waste bin next ta' it. Try ta' get 'im ta' drink somethin' too:

:All-right. All-right. I got it: Blurr replied.

: Gotta go. Mah shift ends in two joor : Jazz said as he cut off the comm. link.

Blurr turned back to Prowl, who was still propped against the wall.

"Jazz-says-I-gotta-get-you-into-bed." Blurr said as he quickly jerked Prowl to his pedes.

Prowl yelped in surprise. "Easy."

"Sorry." Blurr replied as he supported the teetering mech into the adjoining room.

Prowl lay down with a relieved exvent as Blurr replaced the coushins on the other side of the berth.

"Thank you." Prowl said tiredly.

"That's-not-all." Blurr said, thrusting a blue cube before him.

Prowl dry heaved once at the sight of it. He pushed Blurr's servo away.

"Jazz-said-"

Prowl shook his helm. "No, thank you. Just...set it down."

Blurr did so. After setting it on the berthside table, he shifted from pede to pede for a few breems, not knowing what to do next. Prowl had had his optics closed beneath his visor, but was aware of Blurr's presence. He unshuttered his optics, his visor brightening.

"You know you don't have to stand there."

"Jazz-asked-me-to-keep-an-optic-on-you." Blurr stated.

Prowl smirked a tiny bit. "That doesn't mean you have to actually stare at me. There's a holovid in the other room. I don't know what's on it-"

"Are-you-sure-you-don't-want-me-here?" Blurr asked.

"You don't have to be." Prowl replied." The rooms only two steps away. Half of one for you."

Blurr snorted as he left. He did put something on the holo-vid, a local news channel, but didn't pay it any attention. Jazz was back at almost exactly one and a half joors later, but had stopped to get some things for Prowl. A few cubes of high energy energon cubes to rehydrated him and a box of chalk sheets.

"How is 'e?" Jazz asked as Blurr got up from the sofa.

"He's-fine. He-fell-asleep-soon-after-he-got-into-bed. I tried-to-watch-him-but-he-sent-me-from-the-room. I-checked-on-him-every-so-often-though." Blurr replied.

"That's fine, Blurr." Jazz assured the blue mech with the white helm crests.

"If-that's-all-you-needed-I-should-be-going-then." Blurr said, making his way to the door.

"All righty then." Jazz said. "See ya' round."

"You-too!" Blurr said before zipping from the place.

Jazz took up one of the cubes he had brought and the package of chalk sheets. He snuck into their berthroom, seeing Prowl how he had so many times before. He was curled up on his side, in a light recharge. His steady breathing made barely a noise, but filled the entire room.

Jazz placed the pink cube down and the box and looked at Prowl for a nano-sec. He was kinda cute when he was asleep. Cuteness aside, Jazz gave Prowl a gentle shake. Prowl onlined immediately, but took a breem or two to clear his processor.

"Jazz?"

"How ya' feelin'?" Jazz asked softly, feeling Prowl's forehelm. He knew it was from the sparkling, but wanted to make sure.

Prowl grunted a bit. "Tired. I just need to sleep this off, Jazz."

"Ya' cant do that." Jazz contradicted, opening the package of chalk sheets. "Ya' ain't got no virus. Ya' need ta stay hydrated."

"That's a double negative." Prowl stated.

"I don't care." Jazz said, helping Prowl sit up and putting a cushion behind him. "Here, eat this first."

Prowl took the chalk sheet offered to him, eyeing it warily. He finally took a nibble of it, and was pleasantly surprised that it didn't make him feel any more nauseous. The sheet was soon gone, but it hadn't done much. He felt no better for having something in him.

"Now drink this." Jazz ordered, handing him the pink cube.

Prowl grimaced. He shook his helm and tried to push the cube back to Jazz, but the white mech pushed it right back.

"Drink this or Ah'll feed it to ya'." Jazz said firmly.

He watched as Prowl took barely a sip from the cube. He wasn't trying to be so hard, but he was worried. They had lost so many. They weren't going to lose this one though, not if he could help it.

Jazz tapped his pede, signalling for Prowl to drink more. Try as he might, he couldn't force more then one more, small sip into his tank. If he drank anymore, he would purge. The black mech vented heavily, tiredly. Jazz lay down next to him, and held him close.

Prowl lay his helm on Jazz's chassis and shuttered his optics. He quickly fell into an exhausted recharge. Jazz stayed up a bit more, stroking Prowl's servo. Thoughts and questions plagued his processor.

What if this doesn't work?

_There's a high chance it won't._

Will it really happen?

_We've lost so many._

Will he want to try again if it does?

_So many lost._

Jazz shook his helm, trying to rid himself of the negative thoughts. This had to work. It _had_ to. Alpha Trion had said so, and Jazz wasn't sure if either of them could deal with another loss. He pulled Prowl closer still and fell into recharge himself.

* * *

Jazz onlined slowly, relishing the feel of Prowl curled into his side. His visor lit up and he slowly turned his helm to look at Prowl. The black mech was in a light recharge, clinging to Jazz gently.

Jazz gently let his digits brush Prowl's back struts. The black mech shifted a bit and mumbled. His visor started to flash, but returned to gray.

"Prowler?" Jazz asked.

He had onlined, hence the lit visor, but had gone right back to recharge? That couldn't be right. Jazz gave Prowl a small shake. As light a sleeper Prowl was, he should have woken right up. Instead, he lay still.

Jazz shook him again, harder.

"Prowler? Wake up, mech." Jazz called out.

Prowl's visor flickered again. After a few attempts, it finally lit up, although the blue was dull.

"Hmm?" Prowl mumbled, not even bothering to raise his helm.

"Are ya' all right?" Jazz asked.

Prowl vented a bit. "Mm-hmm."

"Ya' don't sound all right." Jazz concluded. "Ya need ta drink somethin'."

"Not right now." Prowl murmured in a low, hoarse whisper.

"Get up." Jazz ordered, sitting up.

Prowl slid down into Jazz's lap with a surprised yelp. He shook his helm defiantly.

"Prowler, yer acting like a sparklin'." Jazz said, a bit amused but not much.

This was serious. If Prowl didn't start to get some fluids in him, he would have to be taken to the hospital. They did have access to a trailer, but neither of them wanted to go to the hospital unless it was to deliver this sparkling at full term.

"I don't care." Prowl snapped.

Jazz grumbled as he propped Prowl up no his chassis. He reached over to the berthside table and picked up the barely touched, pink cube. He pressed it to Prowl's lips, and forced it into his mouth. Prowl had no choice but to swallow, and the next and the next. After four sips, Prowl pushed Jazz's hand away, even though his movements were jerked and dizzy.

Prowl had little say for the rest of the day. Jazz was able to get the day off, and spent it force feeding Prowl the cube. By the next day, Prowl was basically hydrated. Enough that he could go to work. Jazz was entirely against it, but relented in the end as he would be closer to Prowl.

"Please, Primus." Jazz whispered in his helm. "Just this one. Please."

* * *

Author's Notes- I am not exadgerating Prowl's morning sickness at all. I merely wanted to state that some people (take my 'aunt') really do have morning sickness that lasts all day and is very extreme. 

Quick not, the pink energon was like Powerade (I no own Powerade) and the chalk sheets are like crackers.

What will happen net, hmm? You're guess may be close to my answer!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Ultra." Optimus said, slowly.

The two were in their berth. Nearly a groon had passed since their visit with Prowl and Jazz and learning about both their past and present.

"Yes?" Ultra Magnus replied, rolling over to face Optimus.

"I think we should try again." Optimus said hurriedly.

"All ready?" Ultra asked. "Are you certain?"

"I want a sparkling, and I know that you do too." Optimus stated. "We can't change what happened, but we wouldn't be replacing it."

"I agree completely." Ultra said as he slid closer to Optimus.

Optimus slid closer to Ultra Magnus, and the two leaned together simultaneously for a kiss.

* * *

"Are you certain?" Optimus asked from the silver, one bot berth he lay in.

"The scans don't lie." a green and white mech with white heartbeat lines on his servos stated.

"So, I really am..."

"Sparked." the medic, named Syringe, finished. "And a good, bright, strong spark."

Optimus and Ultra Magnus mentally sighed in relief. They had only tried for a week, but they couldn't be happier with the outcome. Optimus had shown a few signs of being sparked, and Ultra Magnus had waisted no time in getting Optimus one of the best obstitrtians he could.

"I take it you know what to expect?" Syringe asked as he put a scanner away.

Optimus nodded.

"Good." Syringe said. "Don't worry about this one. It is one of the healthiest newsparks I have seen."

Again Optimus nodded. He knew that the first spark had been weak, that's why it had extinguished. The doctor had even said himself that it was a good and strong spark.

"I do want you to take some supplements though, and medical grade energon once a day for the first trimester, two for the second, and three for the third. Pretty easy to remember, right?" Syringe stated with a chuckle.

"Supplements?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Just to make sure both Optimus and the newspark get all the proper nutrients." Syringe explained.

"Are we good to go, then?" Optimus asked.

"Yep." Syringe returned. "I will have the supplements and energon sent to you."

Ultra Magnus helped his mate up from the berth. Really, Optimus didn't need the help, Ultra just wanted to feel Optimus and make sure that this all want just a dream cycle.

As they drove home, Ultra could barely contain his excitement, and sent the excess over to Optimus through the bond.

"Stop it." Optimus rumbled, struggling with his own excitement. "Anything more from you and I'll drive off the road."

"We wouldn't want that now, would we?" Ultra Magnus asked as the pulled up front before the white gate surrounding their home and transformed.

Optimus wasn't even fully transformed when he was nearly tackled from behind from a blue femme.

"Well? What happened? Are you sparked?" she asked in a hurried pace as she clung to Optimus' servo.

"Chromia, get of the mech." Ironhide stated as he tugged on his bondmate.

Optimus chuckled a bit. "Yes, Chromia, I'm sparked."

"I knew it!" Chromia exclaimed. Her excitement disappeared in the shutter of an optic. "Ironhide, I want one."

Ironhide sighed, his red frame slumping. He slapped his right hand over his upper face as he shook his helm.

"Chromia, we've been over this." Ironhide stated, in a tired and defeated voice. "What would we do with a sparkling?"

"Take care of it." Chromia shot back.

"Chromia-"

"Come on, 'Hide! It means we get to interface and merge more! Since when do you turn that down?" Chromia asked.

Optimus was practically shaking with barely contained laughter, and Ultra Magnus was no better. Their faces were beet red from trying, and neither knew how much longer they could hold it in.

"Not in front of the Magnus." Ironhide moaned.

"Don't let my presence stop you." Ultra Magnus stated. "Please, continue."

Ironhide scowled. He glared at the Magnus with a look that would have killed if he had had laser optics. He took Chromia and started to drag her aside.

"I'd say well talk about this later, but we're not. End of discussion." Ironhide growled.

"You agree?' Chromia asked nonchalantly.

Ironhide spluttered a moment. "No! We can't handle a sparkling right now, Chromia!"

Chromia looked hurt. "Fine."

She shook off her mates hand and began to walk away. Ironhide sighed.

"That femme." he muttered. "Congrats on the sparklin', anyways."

"Thank you." Optimus returned as Ironhide too turned and left.

Optimus and Ultra Magnus entered their home, still happy and excited, but now a bit upset that their guards were arguing. It wasn't uncommon for the two to go at each other. Heck, Ironhide and Chromia had to be pulled apart at times for non interfacing reasons as the wrestled. This was different, though. They had never simply just argued and walked away.

"They have to work this out on their own." Ultra Magnus stated as he rested a hand on Optimus' shoulder.

"I know." Optimus returned.

If they were to look out the window, the would have seen a blue and red figures down below in the crystal garden, arguing as if their lives depended on it.

* * *

Optimus wandered into the Rec. room. It was mid-day, and he was hungry. The newspark took a lot out of him, and it wasn't even a full groon yet. He would be a full groon in a few orns.

Anyways, as morning sickness was something he only experienced for a few breems ever morning, he was good to go. He hadn't even purged so far, not that he was complaining.

He took his fool cube out from under the dispenser, and looked about the crowded room for a place to sit. He usually just went back to his office, but today he hoped to socialize a bit. He spotted a familiar bot in the corner of the room, his helm down on his servos as he rested them on the table.

"Is this seat taken?" Optimus asked as he motioned to an empty chair on the opposite side.

Prowl looked up. He shook his helm. "No, you can sit there."

Optimus did so. He took a sip of his cube, and quickly observed Prowl. His chassis was starting to swell a bit. The newspark was growing, a good sign. Soon his chassis would go back down and his stomach plating would grow.

"I hear you're sparked." Prowl stated as he rested his helm a bit on his servos.

"News travels fast, doesn't it?" Optimus stated.

"Not as fast since Bumblebee went back to Earth." Prowl returned.

Optimus nodded as he took a long drink of his cube. He noticed that Prowl didn't have one. Maybe he ate all ready. No, that can't be as Prowl had off the same time he did, plus his office was farther. There was no way that Prowl could have drunken an entire cube of energon if he beat him to the Rec. room.

"Would you like me to get you a cube?" Optimus offered as Prowl looked rather tired.

"Ugh." Prowl moaned at the very thought. "No."

"Um, all right." Optimus said.

Just because Prowl didn't want one didn't mean Optimus couldn't drink his. He took another sip, reaching the middle of it,

"How can you even stand _that_?" Prowl asked.

"Stand what?" Optimus asked, completely confused. What was he doing wrong?

"That." Prowl said firmly, making a half-sparked gesture at the cube in Optimus' hand.

"This?" Optimus asked, now even more confused.

"It doesn't make you ill?" Prowl asked, looking a bit confused himself.

Realization dawned on Optimus. "No, it doesn't."

Prowl was sitting up a bit more now, and leaned forward ever so slightly.

"What is your secret?"

"Secret?"

"How do you keep it down?" Prowl asked, almost pleading.

Optimus wanted to laugh, but managed to keep it down to a small smirk. "I don't do anything, Prowl."

"Nothing at all?" Prowl asked, sounding a bit surprised and disappointed.

"Nothing." Optimus confirmed.

"Frag." Prowl muttered, slumping in his seat.

Optimus raised an optic ridge at the strong language. "Your morning sickness is that bad?"

Prowl chuckled dryly. "Morning? It doesn't stop."

"Not at all?" Optimus asked.

"Not until the first trimester is up." Prowl stated.

Optimus gave Prowl another once over. He looked more then tired, he also looked ill now that he really looked. His visor was a bit dim, and he was a bit sluggish. Now that Optimus really thought about it, Prowl was almost always by a waste recipricle or a wash rack. Even now Prowl was right next to one of the Rec. room trash cans.

"Has your medic said anything about that?" Optimus questioned.

"Medic?"

"An obstetrition." Optimus stated.

"I've never gone to one." Prowl admitted.

"You should." Optimus said.

"Sensei Yokitron was like a medic." Prowl said. "Of course, he wasn't perfect, but-"

"Prowl, you really should see a medic." Optimus said again. _With your history._ "I know of one."

Prowl shook his helm. He hated medics, unless he personally knew them. He'd never felt comfortable with the fact that it was a stranger poking and prodding him. Maybe Ratchet would be able to give him check-ups.

"I'll figure something out." Prowl promised.

Optimus nodded as he checked his internal chronometer. Dang, his break was over. He rose after bidding Prowl good-bye and finishing his cube. He tossed the empty container into the recycling bin and returned to his office. He had work to do.

* * *

Prowl was sitting in his own office, working on another report, when the door slid open with a hydraulic whoosh. Prowl didn't even look up as he spoke.

"What is it, Jazz?"

"How'd ya' know it was me?" Jazz asked as he slid his servos around Prowl, from behind.

"I have my ways." Prowl replied as he saved his work. He looked up into Jazz's visor. "What is it that you wanted?"

"Ah can't jus' come ta' see you?" Jazz asked.

Prowl vented, still battling nausea. Jazz slid a hand over Prowl's swollen chassis, feeling it's warmth. His hand usually gravitated towards that area now that he was sparked again. It was always so warm from the second spark, and sometimes he could feel it as it moved.

"Jazz." Prowl started after Jazz had played with his chassis for a few moments. "Optimus has suggested that I see a medic."

"A medic?" Jazz asked, a bit startled. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing at all." Prowl replied. "He merely said that it's a safety precaution for the sparkling."

Jazz nodded a bit. "I agree with him then. Ya' should get check-ups."

Prowl gave a quick nod of his helm, exventing to try and settle his swirling tank. Jazz rubbed his shoulder a bit, one hand still on his swollen chassis. While it did feel nice, Prowl still shook off both hands.

"Jazz, we both have work to do." Prowl stated. "You can get in trouble for being here."

Jazz sighed. "All righty then, Prowler. See ya' at quitin' time."

"All right, Jazz." Prowl returned as he returned to his data-pad.

The door slid closed with a hydraulic whoosh, and the room was once again silent except for the scratching of the stylus on the pad.

* * *

Ratchet went about the room, straightening things up. He really wasn't an obstatrition, but when Prowl had asked him to monitor the sparkling's gestational period, he couldn't turn him away.

He took out an ultra sound machine and set a bottle of gel into a holding clip. He set the berth up at an angle, and adjusted this and that. He knew he was being obsessive compulsive, but one could never be too prepared, especially with Prowl.

With Prowl's past and history with spark carrying, nothing could be ruled out simply by good health or lack of symptoms. Every little thing had to be checked and calculated. This spark was not going to extinguish on his watch!

Ratchet brushed invisible dust off of the medical berth as his impatience grew. Where were Prowl and Jazz? They should be here all ready. Thankfully, Ratchet's comm. link beeped. At least he would be distracted for a few seconds.

: Ratchet :

:Yes, Arcee? :

: Prowl and Jazz just arrived. I just wanted to make sure you were ready :

:I've been ready : Ratchet replied. :Send 'em in.:

: All right : Arcee said as she cut the link.

A few kliks later, Prowl and Jazz finally entered the medical room. A good ten breems late.

"Would you mind telling me what took you so long?" Ratchet asked impatiently as he tapped his pede a bit.

"It was my fault." Prowl said, a bit sheepishly.

" I didn't asked whose fault it was, I asked w_hat_ took you so long." Ratchet said sharply.

"Drivin' makes Prowl ill." Jazz said, a stupid smirk on his face.

Ratchet refrained from rolling his optics. He had heard from Optimus and Jazz just how bad Prowl's morning sickness was.

"All right." Ratchet finally relented. "Get into the berth and let me have a look at ya'."

Prowl gracefully slid into the berth and Ratchet pulled the ultra sound machine closer. Ratchet took the gel out of the clip, and discovered that he had forgotten to warm it. Oh, well. Prowl was just going to have to put up with cold gel.

It was unceremoniously squirted onto Prowl's swelled chassis, and the black cyber-ninja suppressed a shiver from the icy goop. A small, pyramid shaped device was taken from a hidden compartment in the ultra sound machine. A long, spiraled cord bounced a bit as Ratchet stretched it towards Prowl's chassis, and stuck the handheld part into the goop.

A loud, double thump filled the room.

"Hear that?" Ratchet asked, even though it was impossible to ignore. "The louder thump is Prowl's spark, and the softer one is the sparkling's."

The louder thump picked up a bit at that announcement. Ratchet quieted both mechs to listen. Although he wouldn't voice it, the smaller sparkbeat was a bit too quiet for comfort. It wasn't dangerous, but with Prowl's history it might be so.

"Is everything all right?" Prowl asked as he saw a fleeting look of worry cross the medic's face for a split-klik.

"Do you want to see the spark?" Ratchet asked, veering away from Prowl's question.

Prowl looked a bit leery of Ratchet's quick reply and ignorance of his question, but was eager to see his sparkling. Ratchet turned the monitor a bit to face Prowl and Jazz. The screen was completely black. Ratchet again pressed the pyramid shaped device to Prowl's chassis, and a dimmed spark was shown on the screen. Both sparks were dim, as the monitor tuned down the bright color for better visibility.

"There it is." Jazz said in an almost breathless voice. Never had he seen anything as beautiful as that little life.

Prowl nodded in awed agreement. Ratchet was intently looking at the screen as well, but for malformations instead of pleasure. The little sparked seemed fine, dim, but fine. Much to the couple's dismay, Ratchet again turned the screen away and removed the ultra sound machine.

"For this next part, it might be best for Jazz to leave." Ratchet stated.

"Wha's wrong?" Jazz asked, worry lacing his voice.

"Nothing." Ratchet assured him as he saved a bit of information to the monitor. "I just need to check Prowl's spark."

"But didn' you-oh." Jazz stopped. Ratchet had to look at Prowl's actual spark, not just a screen. "Ah'll be in the hall."

Ratchet watched until the door resealed itself behind the white mech. He turned back to Prowl.

"All right, open up."Ratchet ordered.

* * *

Jazz shifted from pede to pede as he waited for Prowl to come out. It hadn't even been a full three breems, but it all ready felt too long. If Prowl wasn't out in the next...er, five kliks, he was going in. He'd seen Prowl's spark before. How else had they merged? It always felt more awkward, though, when it was for non-interfacing non-merging reasons.

Just as Jazz was about to summon up the courage to go back into the medical room, the door slid open and Prowl and Ratchet were there.

"Everything checks out." Ratchet assured the both of them. "I'll expect you in here next groon."

"Next groon?" Prowl asked, rather surprised.

"Yeah." Ratchet said firmly. "Next groon."

"Ah'll make sure of it." Jazz confirmed as he lay a hand on Prowl's shoulder.

"Now get out." Ratchet ordered as he turned to go clean up again.

Jazz shrugged as the door slid closed. The two left for home, and Ratchet went over everything he had saved from Prowl's visit. This sparkling was _not_ going out on his watch.

* * *

Author's Note- Here's a new chappie! Short and crappie! Sorry it took so long to update... been going through some crap and been getting sick (non-contagious kinda sick) for some reason...*shrugs.

Optimus' Girl- Thank you soooo much for all your reviews! You asked a question last time

'Is this energon different flavours like Powerade?', right?

Well, yes, yes it does. Prowl was drinking the pink kind (Orange flavored to us) or coolant flavoured to them. A dark yellow would have been like a gasoline (lemon) flavor, and a dark brown would have been flavoured with oil extract (fruity to us, maybe?)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Ironhide."

"No."

"I just wanna talk about it." Chromia said.

"Nothin' to talk about." Ironhide assured his mate. "It's late an' time to recharge."

"Please, Hide?" Chromia asked in a pleading voice.

Ironhide heaved a sigh as he rolled onto his back and then his other side, facing Chromia. The two bulky frames filled up the large berth rather snugly, but who was complaining? Except for now, when it was time to rest and a certain femme didn't want to recharge.

"'Hide, why can't we at least try?" Chromia asked. "Not even try hard, just let go and see what happens?"

"'Cause there's still a chance you might spark." Ironhide replied.

"What would be so bad about that?" Chromia asked, sliding towards the red mech a bit. SHe traced invisible patterns on his red chassis. "I think you would make a good sire."

Ironhide grunted in disbelief. "We're busy 'nough as it is. Since the Great Wars end and Megatron 'hind bars, the remainin' 'Cons are tryin' harder ta get at Prime an' Magnus."

"Ironhide, we're not the only guards here." Chromia stated. "And it's not just Optimus and Ultra. A few of the other earth based Autobots are on watch as well."

"Like who?" Ironhide asked.

"Well, Red Alert said he saw some suspicious looking mechs watching Prowl and Jazz." Chromia stated.

"Red Alert saw a fire hydrant on earth an' thought it was a 'Con drone." Ironhide stated, smirking a bit at the thought of the fritzing red and white mech as he beat up the hydrant. Needless to say, he had emerged very wet from the incident.

"Blurr caught somebot followin' Bumblebee on earth." Chromia stated next.

Ironhide simply grunted and shrugged.

"Just think about it, Hide?" Chromia asked.

Ironhide sighed. "Fine. I'll think 'bout it."

"Thank you." Chromia said softly as she cupped her mate's cheek and kissed him gently.

Ironhide sighed again, tiredly, and rolled back over.

"Good night." he mumbled

Chromia lay down beside him, and fell into recharge. Ironhide vented as he slid a hand over her back struts and fell into recharge himself.

* * *

Optimus went up the halls towards Prowl's office. A bit backwards, as Prowl was supposed to have brought the reports to _his_ office. Prowl never skipped over anything, especially something important like a meeting or a data-pad. He hoped everything was all right.

He knocked on the correctly marked door. He wasn't answered. He knocked again.

"Yes?"

"Prowl, it's Optimus."

He heard a startled noise and then a beep as the door prepared to slide open. When Optimus entered, he saw that Prowl was at his desk. A stack of data-pads sat on the desk while others still littered the floor. A fallen stylus lay half under the desk.

Little, metaphorical, red flags rose in Optimus' processor. Prowl was never,_ ever_, messy. He would never leave data-pads on the floor. Ever.

"Prowl, what's wrong?" Optimus asked, hurrying to the seated mech's side.

Prowl shook his helm, his breathing a bit ragged. He pushed off Optimus hand, that had settled on his shoulder.

"Nothing." Prowl said. "I-tripped."

"Tripped?" Optimus repeated.

Prowl gave a quick nod of his helm, dragging in air as if that was his job.

"Why did you trip?" Optimus asked.

The floor couldn't have looked like this _before_ he had fallen. Could it?

Instead of answering, Prowl gasped a bit. His hand flew out and seemed to almost connect to his chassis as he clutched over his spark chamber. His visor darkened in pain, and his ragged vents turned into sharp gasps.

"Prowl?" Optimus asked, not getting a reply as Prowl's frame began to shudder a bit.

"Jazz." Prowl blurted. "Get...Jazz."

Optimus nodded and hurriedly pressed a finger to his comm. link. He kept one hand on Prowl, supporting him and offering him a bit of comfort. Optimus was about to call Jazz on a private comm. link, but knew that the mech would freak out and begin to panic on the line. He switched over to the public comm., used to call bots from place to place in HQ.

:Will Jazz report to Tactician Prowl's office? Autobot Jazz to Tactician Prowl's office:

In a matter of breems, Jazz burst through Prowl's office door.

"Wha's goin' on?" Jazz exclaimed as he pushed by Optimus to get to Prowl.

Optimus willingly stood aside. Jazz placed his hand were Optimus' had once been. Prowl grunted a bit, biting his glossa to keep from shouting outright.

"The sparkling's...separating." Prowl managed to say.

"OP?" Jazz asked. "Can ya' call Ratch?"

"Sure thing." Optimus stated.

Prowl grunted again, gasping sharply as his spark jerked painfully again.

"Easy." Jazz said, as calmly as he could.

He pulled the desk chair back and dragged it to the other side of the desk.

"Gotta get up, Prowler." Jazz stated. "Lay down on the floor."

Prowl started to rise, but clung to Jazz's hand and servo to keep from falling again. A sharp pain had caught him off guard, causing him to stumble and grab at the desk to keep from face planting. He had gotten himself back to his chair, but had knocked most of the items off of his desk in the process.

Jazz easily helped Prowl onto the floor, and stretched him out.

"Stay still, now." Jazz ordered. "Ratch should be 'ere soon, ya dig?"

"Ratchet's on his way." Optimus stated, turning from his comm. link. "ETA: 10 breems."

Prowl gasped again, arching a bit as he gripped Jazz's hand.

"Still! Stay still." Jazz said, giving Prowl's hand a reassuring squeeze.

Prowl moaned lowly, his spark feeling as if Unicron himself was trying to pull it out. Optimus shifted uneasily, unsure if his presence was really needed or wanted.

"I should probable alert Ultra Magnus about what's going on." Optimus said after five breems.

Jazz nodded. "This could take awhile. After joors, even."

Optimus nodded before sliding from the room. Ultra Magnus had expressed his worry, but assured Optimus that Prowl would be in good hands. It wasn't long before the wail of sirens filled the air, and Ratchet and Arcee were reported to be coming up the halls.

* * *

"Deep vents." Ratchet ordered, kneeling next to Prowl.

"Trying." Prowl mumbled.

"This should help." Arcee stated as she slid a hand over Prowl's spark chamber.

A soft, warm thrumming came from her hand and eased Prowl's spark. Low scale electro-magnetic pulses were sometimes used for pleasure, but it felt so good now just to ease the pain.

"Not too many." Ratchet warned. "It'll confuse the sparkling."

Jazz shifted uneasily. "The pulses will confuse it?"

Ratchet nodded. "Too many will relax it too much, make it want to stay at Prowl's spark. If it stays, then it can extinguish."

Jazz nodded, a bit alarmed. He had made Prowl lay down to keep the sparkling from getting confused, as it had to travel all the way from his spark chamber to the gestational chamber. Prowl had to be flat and still for the sparkling to not lose its way and extinguish from lack of support.

Prowl shouted as a very painful jerk in his spark happened. Jazz held his hand tighter as Ratchet scanned him.

"Sparkling's trying to detach. The attachment's still to strong though, and pulling the spark back to Prowl's." Ratchet said aloud.

"Gonna take longer then a few breems?" Arcee asked.

"Gonna take longer then a few joors." Ratchet stated. "Might as well make yourself comfortable, Prowl. You're gonna be here for awhile."

Prowl groaned in frustration. This was not going to be fun in the least bit.

"If you feel that anything's off, or you feel ill in the least bit, you let me know well in advance." Ratchet ordered. "You are not to move yourself in any way at all, understand."

Prowl gave a quick nod of his helm. Ratchet motioned for the waste bin in the corner to be brought over, just in case. This was were all of Prowl's hormones would line up ver rapidly. It wasn't uncommon for a bot to become ill from the sudden and extreme hormonal and chemical imbalance.

Prowl dimmed his visor, as his processor was beginning to pound. He bit his glossa numerous times to keep from shouting, and relished Jazz's comforting closeness. He arched numerous times in white hot pain as his spark wrenched about, and the sparkling snapped back and forth.

Soft pulses went over his spark from time to time, easing the pain for awhile. There was only so much a bot could take though, and for so long. Four joors was Prowl's final breaking point, in this matter anyways. He was reduced to a pathetic shouting, screaming heap on the floor as the sparkling continued to pain him.

The pain would come and go, come and go, much like a contraction of the spark. When it was gone, he would hold Jazz's hand close to him and moan and keen in exhaustion.

"Ratchet." Arcee said quietly. "If separation is this bad, will actual labour-"

Ratchet shook his helm. "There is no way to tell until it's time."

Prowl moaned softly, his visor flickering as he tried to stay awake.

"If your gonna fall into recharge, don't fight it." Ratchet stated. "It'll be easier on you if you sleep."

Prowl didn't answer him. His tank was churning. Deep in his spark, or more likely his gut, he knew his farewell to morning sickness was going to be made into some great to-do.

Jazz held his hand tighter as the next set of painful jerks racked Prowl. Ratchet and Arcee held down his chassis and servos as he arched and shouted. He slumped back after a few breems, panting and moaning in short hisses.

"You all right?" Jazz asked.

Prowl shook his helm. "Gonna be sick." he mumbled, turning his helm to the side and away from others.

"All right." Ratchet said, getting the bin. "Jazz, scoot closer to Prowl's helm. Arcee, help me prop him up."

Arcee went closer to Prowl's side, the one opposite of Ratchet, and slid her hands under his side. Jazz scooted closer, as ordered, and took Prowl into his lap a bit. Just enought to prop him up.

Prowl was ordered not to move, as any manual movements made by him could distress or confuse the sparkling further. He wouldn't have tried to either, as all of his energy was drained.

Prowl moaned softly as the waste bin was placed in front of him. Ratchet didn't care if this was just a 'false alarm' or not, but he really didn't want to be purged on if this wasn't.

"It's all right." Jazz soothed, patting and stroking his servo. "Yer doin' good, Prowler. The sparklin' should detach any moment now, and then we'll get ta' see what it'll be."

Prowl merely shifted into Jazz a bit more. His tank hurt so badly, he could practically feel each and every hormone lining up! It was all too fast, swirling about. It made him flush with heat and dizzy and his processor foggy all at once.

The next thing Prowl knew, the waste bin was shoved into his face more, and a greenish liquid began to feel it. He coughed a bit as he finished and fell back against Jazz, limp as a rag doll. Jazz stroked his pounding helm, and murmured something into his audios.

Everything was blending together, the pain and nausea, the walls and ceiling and floor blurred together. Every voice in the room blended together into one voice, though it still seemed multiple. Not a single word was legible from the wavering frames.

The room became more and more blurred and darker and darker until...

* * *

"Don't worry, Optimus." Ultra Magnus said as he pulled his mate closer. "Prowl will be fine."

"I've never seen him like that." Optimus stated.

"Jazz is with him, as are Ratchet and Arcee." Ultra Magnus reassured him.

Optimus sighed as he snuggled a bit closer to Ultra Magnus. They were sitting in the crystal garden, enjoying the sunset together. The blood red light from the setting sun cast down onto the multi-colored crystals, making all sorts of shades dance on the ground and armour of the two bots.

"You know, our sparkling should be separating soon." Optimus said.

"Not for another groon, though." Ultra stated.

"Still, it's rather soon if you think about it." Optimus replied. "We should start setting up a room for it."

"Shouldn't we at least wait until we find out what it is?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Well, for armour and stuff, yes." Optimus said. "But the room can be neutral."

"If that's what you want." Ultra returned, pulling Optimus closer still and letting the smaller mech rest his helm on his blue and white shoulders.

Optimus vented softly as the last light of day slipped away, leaving them in darkness. The light from the two moons took the sun's place in illuminating the two bots in the garden. They sat in silence, merely enjoying the others company as they watched the shadows from the moons' light grow.

* * *

Prowl slowly began to gain consciousness. His optics flickered a moment before lighting up behind his visor.

"Prowler?" Jazz asked. "Ya there?"

Prowl nodded slowly. He shifted a bit.

"Did the sparkling go down yet?" he asked in a cracked and staticy voice.

"Hold still." Ratchet stated. "It just separated a breem ago. It's moving now. I don't want you to move so much as a wire, got it?"

Prowl gave a nod. He lay as still as he possibly could, clutching Jazz's hand as he tried to vent normally. Jazz squeezed his hand a bit, his face every bit as worried as Prowl's.

"It's almost there." Ratchet reassured them both as he kept a scanner beam firmly locked on Prowl's mid section.

Arcee peeked over his shoulder. "It's there, bust stay still a few more breems, so that it can attach enough."

Prowl breathed a sigh of relief, and Jazz discovered that he had been holding his vents. Air came out of Jazz in a hard whoosh. After a few more breems, Ratchet let Prowl slowly get to his pedes.

"I'm going to drive you back to your dorm." Ratchet stated. "Arcee, get the gurney."

Arcee nodded and left the room. The gurney had been placed just outside the door, and was wheeled in. Jazz helped Prowl get on and lie down on it. Prowl vented heavily in exhaustion as he was pushed to the elevator. He fell asleep halfway down to the main level.

"I want him to come in in a few days." Ratchet told Jazz as the gurney was placed in the medical trailer. "Let him rest up first, but I want to check on him.

"Ah get ya." Jazz stated.

Ratchet drove up the street to the end of the block. Prowl was then unloaded and taken inside the building to Prowl and Jazz's apartment. Prowl was still in deep recharge when he was placed in his berth. It was very late, so Ratchet and Arcee bit Jazz good-bye before going back to the hospital to return the medical trailer.

"Ratchet." Arcee stated on their way home. "You weren't very fair."

"What do you mean?" Ratchet asked, tired after his long day.

"You didn't tell Jazz that they could find out what the sparkling is." Arcee replied, bumping Ratchet a bit.

Ratchet merely grunted. "They'll find out then, won't they?"

Arcee chuckled a bit as she rubbed up against Ratchet's side. Ratchet sighed a bit as they pulled up to their small, humble domian. He was tired and ready for the berth.

As Ratchet stumbled into their berthroom as Arcee want and washed up in the wash racks. As she left them and went to the berth, she couldn't help but chuckle a bit. She picked up Ratchet's pede and slid it into the berth, and the pushed him off the edge of the berth to keep him from falling off. She then slid into the berth beside her mate, planted a kiss on his forehelm, and fell into recharge herself.

* * *

Author's Note- Yep, that's it for Prowl's morning sickness! The sparkling has landed in the chamber!

Anyone feel bad for Chromia and Ironhide? They were only supposed to be background characters, but somehow wormed their way to main characters as well. Oh well!

I know this is probably too much to ask, but I know that Optimus' Girl and Galem (both GUEST reviewers) are not the only readers of this story. I would really like everyone else's input on this story as well, what you liked and dislikes, what you want to see or don't want to see, or even just to say 'I liked/didn't like this chapter/story'. Thank you.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

For three orns, Jazz kept a sharp optic on Prowl. He made sure the mech refueled enough to get his systems back to normal. Prowl wasn't arguing now, as he no longer had to deal with the sparked sickness.

Jazz made sure Prowl rested enough, and kept him off his pedes as much as possible. It was beginning to annoy Prowl, but he knew Jazz meant well. The mech was just worried, and he had every right to be so.

"Are ya sure?" Jazz asked for the sixteenth time now.

"I am positive, Jazz." Prowl reassured once again. "You have missed enough orns on my account. I am capable of driving myself to Ratchet's and back."

"Are ya really sure, though?" Jazz asked. "Ah don't mind comin' with ya."

"Jazz, I promise I'll tell you everything Ratchet says about the sparkling. Word for word if I must." Prowl stated.

Jazz vented. Prowl was right. Jazz _had_ missed more orns of work then he likes. Prowl had missed quite a few orns as well, but he was expected to due to the sparkling. Jazz _needed_ to go in today.

They were trying to get out of the little 'apartment' they were in, practically given to them from HQ, and get their own place. They could only afford a slight larger apartment, but anything was an improvement, really. They needed another room, or else the sparkling would be stuck in their room until adulthood, and that could not happen.

"Tell meh everythin'." Jazz ordered as he cupped Prowl's cheek and chin. "Good an' bad."

"I will." Prowl promised.

"Leave the bond open." Jazz said.

"I will." Prowl assured again.

"An' come see meh right away if anythin' happens, or comm. meh if ya need meh. An-"

"Jazz! Really, everything will be fine." Prowl exclaimed.

Jazz vented heavily and planted a kiss on Prowl's forehelm. He quickly scurried away, once again cutting it close.

Prowl settled back onto the small sofa to finish his morning cube. He had almost forgotten how good it felt to actually eat something, or how good cold energon tasted. Once finished, he washed out the cube and set it to air dry. He then made his way down the stairs, avoiding the elevator as he felt rather energetic today, and went out into the crowded city of transformed and pulled onto the road.

To some, he stuck out like a sore digit. His colors were rather dull compared to others, although his gold highlights did pop a bit, but what really made him stand out was his alt. mode. He was still an earth based police motorcycle. After finding that he did still have his mode after returning, he found that he couldn't part with his earth based mode. A few others had kept theirs too, Bulkhead and Bumblebee were a given as they were on Earth still.

Prowl pulled up to the hospital with time to spare. He didn't waste it hanging around the outside waiting area, though, and headed inside. Arcee was sitting behind a desk, filing data-pads and answering comm. calls. She noticed Prowl, though, and smiled at him.

'He'll be out in a klik.' Arcee lipped as she continued to listen to somebot speak over the comm.

Prowl gave a nod and sat down in a chair. It took much longer then a klik, though, almost a good half-joor. Arcee was unable to speak with him either, as she had call after call to answer and many pads to file.

Prowl bounced his pede a bit as he waited, and looked about the room. It was painted a dull orange (which seemed to be a rather popular color around Headquarters, the hospital, and most other places) and had no pictures. It's few chairs were empty, excluding the one Prowl filled.

At long last, Ratchet emerged from the check up room. A blue femme, heavily sparked, waddled from the room. Prowl bit his glossa to keep from laughing at her humorous walk. He had no right to laugh, as he would soon be walking the same way.

"Prowl?" Ratchet asked. "You're here early."

"Better early then late." Prowl stated.

Ratchet grunted. "Well, as long as your here, might as well start your check-up."

Prowl nodded as he rose to his pedes. He went into the medical room, and the door slid shut behind him. Ratchet got him into the padded berth, and slid his backless, wheeled stool next to the berth.

An ultra-sound machine was all ready set up, and the cold gel was soon smeared onto Prowl's stomach area.

"Hold still." Ratchet ordered. "And keep quiet for a klik."

Prowl answered with a few quick nods. Ratchet first wanted to check the sparkling's sparkrate, typical as well as necessary. Prowl listened as well, having never heard a sparkling's spark while it was still in the gestational chamber.

The thumping was peaceful as well as aweful. The beat was so fast it seemed to overlap itself. Prowl smiled softly to himself. His spark swelled with pride and joy at that little thump. He could feel Jazz's happiness as well, reflecting his own.

Ratchet grunted a bit, as if curious. He pressed the hand held part of the ultra-sound machine a bit more into Prowl's plating as he turned to the screen, which was turned away from Prowl. A broad and knowing grin broke across Ratchet's face plates.

"There we go." Ratchet stated.

"What is it?" Prowl asked.

Ratchet turned the screen a bit.

"Meet your sparkling." Ratchet grinned.

"But- tha-that's."

Ratchet nodded. "Yep."

"It's...it's a-"

* * *

Jazz started a bit.

"Is everything all right, Jazz?" Ultra Magnus asked.

A meeting was taking place. Red Alert was in the middle of his explanation when the white mech had practically jumped out of his seat.

He nodded. "Sorry. Carry on now."

Red Alert nodded and continued.

"And you see here, there is a half klik skip in the monitors when it changes from room to room on the main monitor. Now, to take care of that-"

Ultra Magnus turned on his internal, private comm. link. He easily tuned out the rather paranoid mech speaking, and focused on the mech that was currently silent, and had a broad grin and a rather confused look on his face.

: Jazz :

: Yes'sir? : came the reply.

: Is something the matter? It isn't like you to nearly fall out of your seat. Especially when you weren't moving before :

:Sorry 'bout that. Ya see, I got a pulse from Prowler. He's supper excited 'bout somethin' : Jazz explained.

: Don't you find out what the sparkling is today? : Ultra Magnus asked.

Jazz cocked his helm a bit. : I dunno. Ratch never said nothin' 'bout that :

: The sparkling separated, didn't it? : Jazz nodded in reply. :Then I believe you can find out :

Jazz' grin grew bigger. : Guess Prowl found out wha' it is, then. Oh, hold on- Prowl's commin' meh :

Ultra Magnus stayed on the line as Jazz went to another station. He sat silently for a few kliks, merely watching Jazz's facial expressions. Without a moments warning, Jazz leapt from his seat and rushed from the room like a possessed bot.

Murmurs went about the table. Ultra Magnus rose to his pedes.

"Please excuse me and my comrade. Continue as you will." Ultra Magnus said calmly before leaving the room.

It wasn't very hard to find Jazz. He was rushing towards the black mech at the end of the hall. Prowl, though, had a rather dazed look on his faceplates as Jazz went to him.

* * *

"Wha's the problem?" Jazz asked worriedly as he gently rested a hand on Prowl's stomach plating. "Is everythin' all right?"

Prowl managed to nod a bit. He seemed to struggle with words a bit.

"Jass, we- I..."

"Well?" Jazz asked. " Spit it out!"

Ultra Magnus had neared now, enough to be clearly noticed and join in the conversation if he had wanted to or had been addressed. He remained silent, though, as it wasn't his place to speak.

"Prowl?" Jazz repeated.

"Jazz, we've...been blessed." Prowl stated.

"Is everythin' all right with the sparklin'?" Jazz asked.

Prowl shook his helm. Before Jazz could reply, Prowl spoke.

"_They_ are perfect."

Jazz stopped. Everything about him stilled. His hand slowly slid from Prowl's stomach plating, and fell limply by his side.

"Jazz?" Prowl asked. "Jazz? Are you all right? Say something, at least."

"T-they?" Jazz choked.

Prowl nodded, and took Jazz's hand again. He placed it on one side of his stomach.

"One."

And then moved it to the other.

"Two."

Jazz's frame trembled a bit, and his visor dimmed. His words were barely audible.

"Primus...twins."

Jazz teetered a moment to the side before toppling over completely. His visor went gray, and his frame went limp.

"Jazz!" Prowl exclaimed.

"He's all right." Ultra Magnus assured him as he knelt over the white frame a moment.

He propped Jazz up against the wall, a more comfortable position then flat on the floor.

"Ratchet said that he might crash." Prowl stated. "I just didn't think he would. I don't believe Jazz has ever crashed before."

"He'll be fine." Ultra Magnus assured Prowl once again. "He'll have a major processor ache, though."

Prowl nodded in agreement.

"Congratulations, by the way." Ultra Magnus smiled. "Twins?"

Again, Prowl nodded. "It was quite a shock."

"I can believe that." Ultra Magnus smirked.

Jazz interrupted anything else about to be spoken by moaning. Prowl knelt down.

"Jazz? Jazz, are you all right?" Prowl asked.

"Twins?" Jazz mumbled. "Are ya sure?"

Prowl went into his subspace and took out a data-pad. He onlined it and held it out to Jazz. On it was a black and white image. Two tiny bots, almost completely transparent, seemed to float in the center of the screen. Both were curled upon themselves, as if hugging their pedes to their chassis.

"Look at tha'." Jazz said with a breathy laugh and amazed smile. "Both of 'em, inside ya."

Prowl nodded. Jazz's smile returned a bit as he stared at the picture.

"Congratulations, again." Ultra Magnus stated. "I have to get back to the meeting though, before the others begin to worry."

"Ah probably should get back too." Jazz stated, a bit crestfallen as he rose to his pedes.

Ultra Magnus was about to object, but Jazz had given Prowl a quick kiss and hurried back to the meeting room. Ultra Magnus bid Prowl farewell and took Jazz's example in getting back quickly.

Prowl stopped a moment and looked at the still onlined data-pad. He smiled a bit as he subspaced it and left HQ and returned back home to wait for Jazz.

* * *

"Twins?" Optimus repeated. "Primus."

Ultra Magnus nodded. "That was Jazz's reaction, except he crashed as well."

Optimus couldn't hold back a short chuckle. He moved his paintbrush against the wall, covering the previous red with a more neutral cream. Ultra Magnus painted the other wall adjacent to him, all ready covering a good portion of it.

On the floor, besides two large cans of the cream paint, were smaller cans of multiple colors. Once the base paint was dry, Optimus and Ultra Magnus planned on doing something special for their sparkling's room.

"They deserve it." Optimus said. "They've been through a lot on their own."

Ultra Magnus hummed in agreement, rolling his brush over the last little bit of his wall. The paint was thick, so it only needed one coat. He moved on to the next wall, smearing it evenly. Optimus was doing the same thing with his brush as he moved onto the last wall.

The room was soon painted, the fumes forcing both bots out until it dried. Both bots decided that a short walk in the crystal garden would be a good pastime to clear the fumes from their vents and wait until the paint dried.

"What do you want the sparkling to be?" Optimus asked after a few breems had passed.

"Healthy." Ultra Magnus stated.

Optimus vented a bit, and couldn't resist but elbow his mate a bit. "You know what I mean."

Ultra Magnus chuckled as he wrapped his servos around Optimus from the behind. He rested his chin on Optimus' helm a bit as he cuddled the mech close.

"I really don't know." Ultra admitted.

"You wouldn't rather have a mech over a femme, or the other way around?" Optimus asked.

Ultra Magnus thought for a moment. "What do _you _want it to be?"

Optimus opened his mouth, but closed it again. After a few breems of hard thinking, he answered.

"Healthy."

"That's what I thought." Ultra smirked. "We should probably check on that paint now, and finish up."

Optimus nodded in agreement. He had a special plan on how to set up the sparkling's room, and couldn't wait to start it.

* * *

Ironhide pulled Chromia a bit, goading her on. The moons were well risen in the sky, and both the Magnus and Prime were in recharge.

Chromia yawned a bit. "What do you want? Usually when you wake me up, it's to interface, not sneak through the Magnus House."

"Shhh." Ironhide shushed, waving his hand a bit. "Do you want anyone to hear you?"

"About the sneaking or interfacing part?"

"Mute it."

Iromhide stopped before a closed door, and again motioned for Chromia to be quiet. He typed in an open code, and the door slid open with a hydraulic whoosh.

"Shutter your optics." Ironhide ordered.

"Hide, it's late. The room is completely dark. There's no reas-"

"Shutter your optics."Ironhide repeated.

Chromia vented as she shuttered her optics. She felt her mates strong hand cover her optics as well, just to be sure. She carefully walked forward, taking one step at a time until she heard the door whoosh closed.

"I'm moving my hand, don't look." Ironhide rumbled in her audio.

True to his word, his hand slid from her face, and she heard the click of a light.

"Can I open them yet?" Chromia asked.

"Yeah, go ahead."

Chromia opened her optics to find herself in the middle of a sparklings room. A newly set up sparkling room, as the smell of fresh paint still lingered in the air.

The walls were a soft, neutral cream color, and the baseboard and back side of the door and windowframe were all painted white. A white crib and dresser rose from one wall, and a rocking chair sat in the other corner.

What really stood out in the rather typical room, though, were the wall decorations. An entire forest scene of a few scattered trees and flowers and sprigs of grass was displayed on the four walls. A few birds stretched their wings or perched on branches as well.

"Is this what Optimus and Magnus were working on earlier?" Chromia asked.

"Yep." Ironhide stated.

"It's beautiful." Chromia stated. "But, is this really what you woke me up for? It could have waited until morning."

"Well, I guess I didn't _have_ to show it to you..." Ironhide stated. "_It_ could have waited."

"There's more?" Chromia asked.

"Well, kinda." Ironhide drawled.

The red mech shifted a bit and shuffled his pede.

"Well?" Chromia asked.

Ironhide went behind her and pulled her close as he groped her waist.

"Ya see, I helped them a bit. Settin' up the crib 'n all." Ironhide stated. "And, while I was settin' up all the stuff...it got me thinkin'."

"Yes?" Chromia asked after a few silent moments had lapsed.

"And I thought...well, ya see." Ironhide stammered. He vented in irritation as he couldn't get his words out. "Slag it! I had it all rehearsed,I swear."

Chromia chuckled a minute as she twisted in Ironhide's grip to face him. She cupped his cheek and kissed him gently.

"Just say it in your own way."

"Ya see... I mean, if you still want to try and all-"

"You want a sparkling?" Chromia nearly squealed.

"If your still up for it." Ironhide admitted. "I'm not making any promises."

"It takes both of us." Chromia stated.

"I could be too old." Ironhide stated in a downcast way.

Chromia laughed outright. "Old? You? Never."

Ironhide rumbled a bit, and revved his engines. Before either of them knew what was happening, they found themselves flat on their backs. Well, Chromia was on her back, anyways.

"Welll, it ...looks like, you did...wake me up." Chromia gasped out between moans and cries of pleasure. "To interface!"

Ironhide merely growled in her audios and pressed into a kiss.

* * *

"Optimus, come back to bed." Ultra Magnus muttered tiredly from the berth.

"Hold on." Optimus stated, his audio pressed to the wall. "I could have sworn I heard someth-Oh..."

"What is it?" Ultra asked, rising a bit.

"N-nothing." Optimus choked.

"Optimus?" Ultra asked, a bit firmly.

"It's...Ironhide and Chromia." Optimus stated as he climbed back into the berth.

"In the sparkling's room?" Ultra asked.

Optimus shrugged a bit as he shuttered his optics.

"Optimus! What are they doing?" Ultra pressed, now awake and alert.

"Oh, nothing." Optimus stated in half-recharge.

"I'm not going to be able to sleep until you tell me." Ultra stated.

"Their just making a sparkling." Optimus stated as he sat up and gave Ultra a quick kiss. "Good night."

With that, the red and blue mech lay down and went to sleep. Ultra stalled a moment, and spluttered for a moment.

"What?"

* * *

Author's Note- Ah, Optimus...for such a quiet mech, you certainly are odd behind closed doors.

Optimus' Girl- Thank you ever so much for all your reviews! I did (Finally) read your recommendation on my soon-to-be Prowl and Jazz fic. I am so sorry, but I'm not sure if I can use it. You see, the book is going to be about Prowl's miscarriages in THIS TFA/AU book. I can make a bonus chapter, though, for the G1 idea. I t was really good.

Galem- You Rock! Your questions and reviews are inspiration to me!

Side Note- I am planning to write a chapter based off of true events. You see, my mom is pregnant and she and my dad BOTH got the stomach virus at the same time...along with my 3 sisters. I was the only one not ill, as I had it first...I was thinking, since Optimus had it easy on the morning sickness, to give him and Ultra Magnus both a tank virus at the same time. After the sparkling separates, of course...Sound good?

Also, thank you for telling me that Red Alert was a femme in TFA. I never knew that... this story is pretty AU all ready though, so I think it'll be okay.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

* * *

Ironhide slowly onlined his optics with a groan. Before he was even fully awake, he knew one thing. This was _not_ his berth. He sat up like Ratbat outta the Pit. He instantly took in the sleeping femme next to him, but mostly noticed the fact that he was sitting right next to a crib.

"Frag." he muttered as he shook Chromia.

She hummed in her half lucid state. "Hide, we were at it all night. Don't wanna face, go backta sleep."

"Chromes, we're in the sparkling's room." Ironhide stated, tugging on her servo a bit.

"What sparkling?" Chromia mumbled.

Ironhide slapped her cheek. Chormia snapped forward, a hand over her smarting cheek. Ironhide caught her blue servo in mid-air as she want to return the blow.

"We need to get out of here 'fore Optimus and the Magnus wake up." Ironhide stated.

Chromia nodded as she rose to her pedes. Ironhide snuck to the door, and slid it open. He peered about the empty hall, and motioned for her to follow.

"Hide?" Chromia asked.

"What?" Ironhide asked hurriedly.

"Did you really mean it?" Chromia asked. "About the sparkling?"

"If I didn't mean it, we would be in our own berth righ' now 'stead of sneakin' the halls." Ironhide stated.

Chromia nodded. She slapped Ironhide on his aft, urging him on.

"What's yer hurry, femme?" Ironhide asked with a familiar twinkle in his optics.

"I don't wanna get caught here with the likes of you." Chromia stated. "Besides, I have a test to take."

"Test?" Ironhide asked as Chromia pulled him along. "Oh."

* * *

Optimus smirked as he watched Ironhide and Chromia sneak up the halls, hand in hand. Well, Chromia pulling Ironhide along by his servo anyways.

"Optimus." Ultra Magnus scolded from behind him. "Honestly?"

"It's our home." Optimus stated. "They're gone now, anyways."

"Good." Ultra Magnus stated with a shudder. "I would hate to have run into them while they were escaping."

Optimus couldn't resist a chuckle. "_That_ would have bene interesting to see."

"Maybe from your point of view, as you hide behind the door." Ultra Magnus stated.

Optimus merely nodded. Ultra Magnus sighed as he shook his helm.

"What am I going to do with you?" Ultra Magnus asked.

Optimus shrugged. Ultra Magnus vented again as he went into their shared wash racks so wash and polish for the day. Optimus followed him after a few breems. He watched in curiosity as the mech stripped of his armour and entered the large shower area. It could easily fit two, maybe three full sized bots at the most.

Ultra Magnus stepped under a steamy stream of cleaning liquid, letting it run over his frame. The clear, transparent fluid dripped from his frame like diamonds, and hit the ground with a steady patter.

Optimus continued to watch as he went for a bottle of cleaning fluid. The lavender gel was squirted into his palm and rubbed his hands together to make a sudsy lather. He began to scrub down his frame. Optimus chuckled as he struggled to reach a small area in the middle of his back.

"I know you're there, Optimus." Ultra Magnus stated without turning around. "Mind giving me a hand?"

Optimus quickly stripped of his own red and blue armour and placed it with Ultra's blue and white. As their protoforms were basically covered without armour, they technically could not become naked unless their removed their cod pieces or exposed their sparks. While one wouldn't run about in their bare protoform, it still wouldn't be considered 'taboo'.

Optimus placed his hand on Ultra's sudsy shoulder and moved the extra suds to the middle of his back. He scrubbed it in with massaging, circular motions.

"There." Optimus stated.

Ultra Magnus stepped under the stream of warm cleaning liquid and quickly rinsed off. He took another pump of the cleansing fluid and turned towards Optimus.

"Your turn." Ultra stated as he began to scrub his mate's frame.

"I can wash myself." Optimus cheekily replied.

"It's more fun this way." Ultra returned as he carefully cleaned his mate's protoform, taking special care around certain areas.

"You can rinse now, if you'd like." Ultra said after a few breems. "Or, you can let me continue scrubbing you."

"As tempting as that sounds." Optimus replied. "If you continue to clean me, we'll be late at Headquarters."

"Damn." Ultra muttered.

Optimus looked at him in shock.

"What? It's not like you haven't said it." Ultra stated.

"Well, we should stop." Optimus replied firmly as he stepped under the liquid and rinsed off his frame. "We don't want out sparkling to repeat such language."

Ultra agreed. Once they were both free of suds, the liquid was turned off and chamois were handed out for a quick dry. Optimus took out a small container of a cheap polish, and it was quickly buffed into both sets of armour.

"Ready to go?" Ultra asked.

Optimus nodded. Ultra leaned down and stole a quick kiss before both left the wash racks and headed for Headquarters.

* * *

"Is it ready?" Ironhide asked impatiently.

"Hold on." Chromia called back from the wash racks. "I'm getting something..."

"Well bring it out 'ere!" Ironhide exclaimed.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Chromia replied as she slid the wash rack door open.

She held a small, white, plastic device with pink highlights as she exited.

"How do ya read this thing?" Ironhide asked as he grabbed it from her and held it close to his face.

"First, you hold it the right way." Chromia stated as she moved has hands away from his face and flipped the device over. "Two lines mean sparked, one means not sparked."

Both looked at the blank device. A small, faint, blue line started to appear. It became bolder and bolder in color, but never doubled.

"Maybe it's defective." Ironhide stated as he shook it hard, trying to shake out the second line.

Chromia shook her helm as she stopped his shaking and lowered his hands. She didn't look up at him as she slid the device from his hands and tossed it into the rubbish bin. With a heavy vent, she sat down on the end of their berth, her hands folded in her lap and her shoulders hunched low.

"Chromes." Ironhide said lowly. "It's only our first try."

Chromia just shook her helm. "What if we're not meant to be creators?"

"We will be." Ironhide reassured her as he slid a servo around her shoulder and sat down next to her.

"You can't promise that."

"Maybe not, but I can promise that I'll try my hardest." Ironhide stated.

Chromia vented again. She shook her helm. "I guess."

Ironhide slid two of his digits under her chin and turned her helm to face him. "That's not the answer I'm lookin' for, femme."

"I guess, I can try too." Chromia stated lowly.

"Still not quite right."

Chromia smirked. "I'll try my hardest, as well."

"Still not-"

Chromia pushed him back, her lips pressed firmly into his. Both shuttered their optics as they savored the 'French kiss'.

"Tha's better." Ironhide stated.

"You." Chromia shook her helm as she got up from the berth.

"Where ya going?" Ironhide asked as Chromia began to leave the berthroom.

"Well, as bodyguards to the Prime and Magnus, I would think that we would want to be...I don't know, _with _them?" Chromia asked as she pointed to the two retreating figures driving up the road.

"Frag" Ironhide mumbled as he leapt from the berth.

"Maybe later." Chromia grinned.

Ironhide pulled her close for a moment as he murmured into her audio, "I'm holding you to that."

* * *

Optimus sat at his desk. It had been awhile since Ironhide and Chromia had started to try for their own, and Prowl's own sparklings had separated.

Optimus was finishing up a few data-pads when an odd pull at his spark made him jump a bit. He placed a hand over it, and took a few breaths. It hadn't hurt, but just felt really...odd.

He picked up his data-pads and headed towards his mate's office. His spark jerked a few more times as he went up the halls. He entered Ultra's office without knocking, as he knew that his mate was alone.

"Optimus?" Ultra asked as the red and blue mech neared.

"I...brought you these." Optimus stated, a bit slowly, as he set the pads down.

"Are you all right? Your color's pale." Ultra stated.

Optimus nodded a bit, regretting the flinch as his spark jerked a bit. He rubbed at it, trying to get rid of the odd feeling.

"Sit down." Ultra ordered as he rose from his seat and pushed Optimus into it.

"I think...I think the sparkling's separating." Optimus stated.

"Separating?" Ultra Magnus asked, worry present in his voice.

"Don't worry." Optimus stated. "It should be fine."

"But, Prowl went through the same thing. He seemed to be in a lot more pain." Ultra stated.

Optimus nodded. "It's not supposed to hurt, though. That's why Ratchet and Arcee came here."

Ultra Magnus nodded as he went through his memory files. He had read and studied up on this so much! Why couldn't he remember anything now?

"Just stay seated." Ultra said as a bit of the information came to him. "You don't need a medic unless something goes wrong or you're in pain."

"Ultra, I read the same things you did." Optimus chuckled a bit. "It shouldn't last longer then four joor, at the most."

Optimus gasped a bit as a rather hard, but still painless, jerk caught him off guard. He could feel every single movement of the sparkling, and knew that this little one was not going to play games. Five firm jerks, and Optimus could tell that it was nearly off of his own spark.

He could also feel his hormones aligning. It wasn't very bad, but made him a bit queasy. Technically, though, as he had little morning sickness that involved no purging, he wouldn't get very ill during this part of being sparked.

"It's all most there." Optimus said aloud, trying to calm down his nervous spark-mate. "It's all ready moving down."

Ultra nodded. This part was the fast one. The sparkling was practically turbo-charged as he zipped down to Optimus' gestational chamber.

"Is that it?" Ultra asked.

"I guess so." Optimus replied. "Not very exciting."

Ultra chuckled a bit. "It's not supposed to be."

Optimus nodded, a bit tiredly. It may not have been physically terrible, but it had been very uncomfortable and draining. Optimus was ready for a good stasis nap.

"Why don't you go back home?" Ultra Magnus asked. "I'll comm. Chromia to keep an optic on you."

"That's not necessary." Optimus stated.

"Optimus, I don't want anything to happen when you're going back." Ultra stated.

"But Ultra-" Optimus stopped as a grin crossed the blue and white mech's face. "You called all ready, didn't you?"

"Internally." Ultra Magnus confirmed. "And she told me to tell you that she doesn't like waiting."

"You're an aft, at times." Optimus stated.

"And that's what you love about me."

Optimus could feel his faceplates heating up. He shook his helm as he hurriedly left the room before Ultra could say -or suggest- anything else.

"'Bout time ya showed up." Chromia stated as the Prime came into view in the lobby.

"Sorry." Optimus returned.

Chromia just shrugged. "You wanna walk or can you still drive?"

"I can still drive." Optimus stated. "I won't be in a few groons..."

Chromia chortled a bit as she led the way out of the building and outside. "I'd love to see you waddle."

Optimus scowled as he transformed. "I hope you get sparked. Really, I do."

"For what reasons?" Chromia asked.

"Well, for one, I'd like to sleep without hearing you and Ironhide in the next room."

"That was one time!"

"Also, I want to see you deal with it." Optimus continued.

"I could deal with it." Chromia returned.

"I doubt it." Optimus replied. "Not without complaining."

Optimus heard Chromia growl. "I do not complain."

"What about the time you twisted your pede and were put in the restrain?" Optimus asked. "One would think that you were offlining."

"Have you ever been 'pampered' by Ironhide?" Chromia asked.

"No, and I never hope to be." Optimus returned.

"There ya' go." Chromia returned as they pulled up to the Magnus' House.

The gate was opened, and both drove up the driveway. Their bantering came to an end as they entered the house. Chromia instantly went to check up on some thing, and pick some things up from the store (most likely more sparked tests by the way she put it). Optimus went to go take a stasis nap and wait for Ultra Magnus to return home.

* * *

Ironhide grunted as he was practically attacked and pushed back onto the berth with a heavy thud.

"You're...eager...tonight." Ironhide muttered through kisses.

Chromia purred in his audio a bit as she nibbled his neck cables. "Got more of an incentive tonight."

"Oh?" Ironhide rumbled.

"Gotta get sparked." Chromia said detirmindly. "Show Optimus..."

"Show Optimus?" Ironhide asked.

"He was makin' wisecracks 'bout me being whiney while sparked." Chromia stated.

"Can't let that happen now, can we?' Ironhide asked, trying hard not to laugh.

"No, we can't." Chromia replied. "Now, get on it."

"On what?"

"Me, you glitch! Get me sparked!" Chromia ordered.

"Yes, ma'am." Ironhide returned as he took topside and started to merge with his femme.

* * *

Author's Note- I know, I know... really short chapter. It was either make one really long chapter with a 1-2 month (groon) time skip, or make on short chapter and one of (my) normal chapters. Usually 15-20 some pages. I went for the second choice just so that I (and my reader!) didn't get overwhelmed with a 40+ page chapter.

At Galem- I can see why you would be concerned about Optimus and Ultra's sparkling. Don't worry, though, I have no intentions of killing off another sparkling. I think(no, not a foreshadow)

Also, I need some names (Yes, bad me forgot that sparklings need names!) A need two for a femme, and two for a mech. (I am not giving both twins! I just don't want to give away what Optimus and Ultra were having!) Also, I have seen that it is very common to use 'Prime' and 'Ultra' in sparkling names coming from Optimus and/or Ultra Magnus. I would NOT like these used, but will consider them. I most likely will NOT use a name using Prime or Magnus or Ultra in it, but might if it's really cute or nice or meaningful.

I like names that have meaning, so preferably something Latin based. Doesn't have to be, but would like it as Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus are basically Latin derived.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Optimus onlined slowly. He placed a hand over his extended stomach area as he felt little flutters go about. The sparkling was growing, strong and well. He and Ultra, though, had decided that they didn't want to know the gender of their sparkling. It's room was made in neutral colors, so they didn't have to worry about it. They would rather be surprised.

Optimus rolled over onto his side and smiled to himself as he saw his bondmate, recharging peacefully. He resisted the urge to pounce on him and wake him up. Ultra was never really a morning bot if he didn't wake up on his own. He reminded Optimus of some humans that woke up without their coffee.

Optimus rose himself, as he was up and awake. He first got a cube of medical grade energon and quickly drank it before going for quick wash down and polish. When he emerged from the wash racks, he was a bit surprised to find Ultra still in bed.

"You awake?" Optimus asked softly as he knelt down next to the berth.

Ultra hummed a bit in the negative.

"What's wrong?" Optimus asked.

"Don't feel well." Ultra mumbled.

Optimus pressed a hand and then his cheek to Ultra's forehelm. "You're a bit warm."

Ultra grunted breathily. He sighed a bit as he flipped over on his side.

"Tank feels like scrap." he muttered.

"Go back to recharge." Optimus ordered as he planted a kiss on the warm white and blue cheek. "I'll be back in a minute."

Ultra just nodded a bit as he shuttered his optics. Optimus quickly went into the kitchen area and got a cube of low grade energon and a few chalk sheets to bring up to Ultra. Half way back to the room, though, muffled retches and coughs reached his audios. With a vent, he continued into the berthroom, and set the cube and crackers on the berthside table.

He knocked on the closed wash rack door before sliding it open. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Ultra gasped out. He gagged once, but managed not to lose it in front of Optimus. "Get out before you catch it too."

"I've all ready been exposed." Optimus returned.

"Optimus." Magnus muttered.

"Okay, I'll go. I'm coming back to check on you, though." Optimus stated.

Ultra nodded tiredly as he sat against the wall. Optimus went back into the kitchen to wash his hands under the tap. He may have been exposed but that didn't mean he _had_ it, and he _really_ didn't want to get it. It was most likely a simple tank virus, the same one that had been going about Headquarters. A particularly nasty tank virus that knocked you off your pedes for a good couple of orns and made your life a live in the Pit. Well, from what he had heard, anyways.

Optimus heard pede steps behind him as he shut off the tap. He turned around to see Chromia with a cube of high energy energon.

"Mornin'." Chromia rumbled groggily as she took a sip of her cube.

"Good morning." Optimus returned.

"Where's Magnus?" Chromia asked as it dawned on her that a rather large mech was absent from the picture.

"Sick." Optimus answered.

"Oh no." Chromia said with her face in her hand. "He catch it from 'Hide? He was sick last week."

"Either from him or the offices. It's been going around. He woke up feeling like slag." Optimus said as he took out a regular cube of energon. He wasn't very hungry, but was supposed to drink one in the mornings with his medical grade.

"At least he has the decency to _tell_ you he wasn't feeling well." Chromia stated. "Ironhide, the stupid fragger, didn't tell me until we were in the middle of a spark merge. Idiot didn't even tell me then. I just barely missed being purged on."

"Too much." Optimus said, a hand over his optics as his face turned deep red. "Way too much."

Chromia snickered a bit. "And then when I got it, from _him_, mind you, he didn't even have the decency to stay home and take care of me! Nope, he gave me a chalk sheet and a bucket and told me not to purge on the floor."

Optimus vented heavily as he sat down in a chair. "Must you be so frank about _everything_?"

Chromia outright laughed. "It's in my programing to be 'frank'. I call it, not rust coating slag."

Optimus vented again and shook his helm, regretting it a bit. He rubbed his temple a bit. "You're hopeless."

Chromia chuckled a bit as she tossed her cube into a dishwasher. As she turned, she noticed Optimus was still rubbing his temple area.

"Are you feeling all right?" she asked. "Maybe you're coming down with it too."

Optimus shook his helm. "Both of us sick at the same time?"

"Primus has twisted sense of humor." Chromia stated as she pressed a cool hand to his forehelm. "You're running a bit of a temp."

"I'm fine." Optimus objected.

"You have a processor ache and a fever." Chromia said firmly.

"I'm fine." Optimus insisted.

"You've been exposed to this germ everywhere, and being sparked wears down your immune system. I'm actually surprised you didn't get sick _first_." Chromia continued.

"Again, I'm fine." Optimus tried to persuade the blue femme.

"Want a waste bin?" Chromia asked rather suddenly.

"Yeah." Optimus admitted reluctantly with little hesitation.

Chromia chuckled a bit as she pat his back. "Why don't you just go into the wash rack with Ultra Magnus? I mean, you both have the same thing. Heck, it's not like he's a stranger or nothin'."

"All right." Optimus agreed.

He rose to his pedes, a bit surprised at how dizzy he actually felt. Chromia was making a comm. call, and by the amount of cursing Optimus could only imagine that it was Ironhide on the other side of the line.

"Optimus?" Ultra asked a bit confused as Optimus came into the wash rack and let the door slide behind him. "You shouldn't be in here."

"Don't worry." Optimus said as he sat down next to Ultra and slid a servo around him.

"But you'll get it too."

"I've got it." Optimus admitted as his rapidly flushing face turned beet red in embarrassment.

"Oh." Ultra vented in disappointment. "I was hoping you wouldn't."

"Me too." Optimus stated with a light chuckle as he gently rubbed one of Ultra's shoulders.

Ultra Magnus settled back against the wall a bit, taking deep vents from time to time. Optimus was simply trying to calm down his swirling tanks. He swore they hadn't hurt at all a few joors ago.

A rather unsettling lurch of his tanks made Optimus jerk forward and retch over the latrine. He felt Ultra's hand on his back as he purged a few times. With a soft moan, he flushed it away and sat beck next to Ultra Magnus.

"Your temperature's picking up." Ultra Magnus stated as Optimus' helm rested on his shoulder a bit.

Optimus merely shrugged a bit. He shuttered his optics tight as his tank continued to swirl about. He tried to comfort Ultra a bit as he got sick again, both through the bond and physically as he gently rubbed Ultra's back.

Ultra Magnus had a tank of pure steel, partially rhetorical. He could keep practically anything down, but it made it a bit harder to purge. Optimus, on the other hand, would bring something up with every gag. Needless to say, it wasn't hard to tell who was sicker a few joors later.

Ultra Magnus was being sick again in the latrine when Optimus' tank jerked hard. Without a moments hesitation, he leapt to his pedes and grabbed onto the sink.

Primus, he had never felt so sick in his entire life! He wasn't sure if he was even gagging, or just purging. It felt like his tank was being squeezed hard and nonstop. He couldn't vent, and the room was starting to go blurry.

Holy frag! He was going to pass out! His grip on the counter became harder as the room continued to fade out. What would happen if he hit the floor and continued to purge? He wasn't able to tell if Ultra was still purging himself or not. He couldn't really bring himself to care, as awful as it sounded, when he was trying hard to keep from simply hitting the floor.

A pair of strong, yet strangely weak servos wrapped around his chassis.

"It's all right." a rasped voice said gently. "Best just get it all out."

Optimus swore that there was nothing left in him, but it just kept on coming. He finally gasped in and fell back against Magnus. The white and blue mech easily supported him and helped him back to the ground.

"Are you all right?" Ultra Magnus asked as Optimus took careful vents and shuttered his optics.

Optimus gave a weak nod as he rested his helm on the cold wall. He was overheating badly, and couldn't seem to catch his breath. To make matters worse, the room spun in synch with his tank.

"Take it easy." Magnus said gently, resting a hand on Optimus' shoulder.

"'M fine." Optimus mumbled, his optics still closed.

"You're freezing." Ultra stated.

It suddenly dawned on Optimus that he was shivering, rather badly. He vented a soft sigh as a chamois towel was draped over him.

"It's not a blanket." Ultra said in a bit of disappointment.

"It's fine." Optimus reassured him.

He inched closer to Ultra, seeking out his warmth a bit. He rested his helm on the larger mech's shoulder.

"Get some rest." Ultra said tiredly as he shuttered his own optics.

Optimus listened to the soothing thump of Ultra's spark and even vents. He found himself soon dozing off as well, listing to the in and out...in and out...in and out of Ultra's vents. He went up and down...up and down...up and down as Ultra vented.

Optimus soon figured out that one _could_ get seasick without being on a boat. He quickly scrambled away from the other mech, who was in deep recharge, and clutched the latrine as he started to retch again.

Nothing was coming up. That probably meant that he hat reached the bottom of his energon reserves. Another dry gag followed another. It hurt, these dry heaved. They felt like he was being torn apart from the inside.

Another retch brought up oil. Great, now he was in his final back up reserves. Oil was heavier then energon, thus harder to bring up. One more purge and Optimus was able to vent again. He hung limply at the latrine, like a human rag doll. The room was spinning and darkening.

There was a voice from somewhere in the room, and a blue blur was pulling him back and pushing him against something cold. Everything was dark now, but he could faintly feel something being pressed against the back of his neck. It went off, and then pressed on again.

It felt good, even though he could barely feel it, and he relaxed under it.

* * *

"You ready?" Ratchet asked.

Jazz nodded vigorously and Prowl nodded a bit more hesitantly. After Prowl had discovered that it had been twins last time, he had decided that _that_ had been enough surprises for one day and wanted to wait for Jazz to find out what the sparklings were.

"All right." Ratchet said, pressing the hand held part of the sonogram machine to Prowl's swelling stomach plating. "Lets see what we have here."

Jazz watched the monitor closely, as if he could tell what he was seeing. Ratchet hid a smirk as he looked and understood what he was looking at.

"Do either of you have anything specific in your processors that your hoping for?" Ratchet asked.

Prowl shook his helm. He just wanted a sparkling. Two, now that he had both within his grasp. Jazz mirrored his action.

Ratchet rolled his optics a bit, but wasn't expecting any different. Most creators usually didn't want a mech or a femme, just a sparkling. Ratchet smirked just a tiny as he checked one last time.

"Ya sure you don't want to at least guess?" Ratchet asked.

"Ratchet." Jazz pleaded, bouncing a bit in place. "Jus' tell us 'fore I go nuts."

"Well." Rachet started. "Right here we have a little femme, and the others a little mech."

"Really?" Jazz asked, doing all but dancing in place.

Ratchet nodded. He pointed to each frame on the sonogram monitor. Prowl squeezed Jazz's hand a bit, his only output of excitement.

"Now we don' hav'ta choose." Jazz stated.

"You never had a choice to begin with, glitch." Ratchet rolled his optics. "Anyways, you had better plan on berthrest, Prowl."

"How come?" Prowl asked.

"If you want to carry to delivery, you're gonna have to be off your pedes. Not for a few groons now, or until your pedes give out. Whatever happens first." Ratchet answered.

"Great." Prowl muttered."I'll have something to look forward to."

* * *

"Jazz, this is the wrong way." Prowl protested as he drove along side the white sports car.

"Don' ya' wanna go fer a joyride? Jus' 'fore ya' can't?" Jazz asked, turning up another lane.

Prowl would have shrugged if he had been in alt. mode. The road made any transformer feel free. A little drive couldn't hurt. Well, that is, until Jazz suddenly stopped before a large building.

"Jazz, what are you doing?" Prowl asked as Jazz transformed back to root mode.

"Wanna go visitin'?" Jazz asked.

"Visiting?" Prowl parroted in confusion. "I don't know anyone at this complex."

Jazz didn't reply as he took Prowl's hand and practically dragged him into the apartment complex and pushed him into a lift. With an eerie sort of ease, a single button was pressed. It was rather near the top. Strike that, it was the very top level.

Continuing with his almost psychic knowledge of the layout of the maze of halls, Jazz stopped before a single door. Three glyph's shone from the top.

_J-16_

"Jazz?" Prowl asked, almost hesitantly as the white mech typed in an open code.

The door slid up with a hiss. It creaked a bit from age and disuse, and showed nothing but blackness.

"It doesn't appear that anyone's home." Prowl stated.

He couldn't hold back a startled yelp as he was scooped off his pedes.

"Jazz, what are you doing?" he exclaimed.

"Don' you know anythin' 'bout human traditions?" Jazz asked, a glint seen in his visor. "The guy always carries the carrier over the threshold of their first home."

Prowl could feel both his visor and his optics widening as he was set down at the other side. The lights automatically switched on to reveal a rather small, yet larger then they had apartment.

"Jazz, it's-"

"Don' say nothin' 'till I've showed ya' around!" Jazz stated, as excited as a sparkling on his creation day.

Prowl was led to two closet like doors. "This here is the sparklin's room."

The door slid open to show an empty room. That didn't stop Jazz from running around like a mech possessed.

"See, one crib'll go 'ere, and maybe a chair over 'ere ta' feed 'em. Over here'll be another crib, and we'll get a rug fer 'em ta' play on, and a few toys." Jazz stated.

"Jazz-"

"That's not all." Jazz stated, pulling him to the other room. "This 'ere is our room, Prowler. Jus' enough room for a berth and table."

Prowl could feel the excitement from Jazz. The mech radiated the pride and excitement as he pulled him to the washroom.

"There's only one wash room, but Ah think we can manage. The sparklin's can get their baths and all. Gonna have ta' do somethin' 'bout them splashin', though. Don' wanna bother the folks downstairs." Jazz stated quite seriously as he pulled his mate to the final room.

"Look how big the livin' room is?" Jazz exclaimed as he thre his servos in the air. One of his servos hit the wall with a clank. "Okay, maybe not so big, but it's bigger then we got now, ain't it?"

"Jazz-"

"So, whaddya' think, Prowler?" Jazz asked, interrupting once more just for good measure.

"Jazz, it's very nice." Prowl stated, and his spark sunk as Jazz's face lit up. "But-"

"Wai', _but_?" Jazz asked. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, Jazz." Prowl assured him. "It's perfect. But, Jazz...we can't afford this."

Jazz shrugged. " A 'lil overtime never killed a bot."

"Jazz, that's not fair to you." Prowl stated. "I'll work harder too, and-"

"What is it?" Jazz asked as Prowl's mask widened and he fell into a stunned silence.

"Jazz, what if I do have to go on berthrest." Prowl said, his voice trying not to become a whisper.

"There ain't no _if's_, Prowler. Ratch said you'll gonna hav'ta go on berthrest." Jazz said firmly.

"But Jazz, I won't be able to work on-"

"A second job won't kill meh either." Jazz said, his voice harder and firmer then Prowl had ever heard before. "We need a bigger space, mech. 'Sides, HQ woulda kicked us out sooner or latter."

Prowl vented. "I see there's no debate over this matter?"

"None wha' so ever." Jazz returned.

"Well then...when do we move in?"

* * *

Ultra Magnus inwardly relaxed as those dull, blue optics lit up and Optimus took a breath in.

"You awake?" Ultra asked, still holding the wet rag to Optimus' neck.

Optimus nodded. "What happened?" he mumbled.

"You passed out." Ultra Magnus answered, keeping one hand on the red and blue servo, just in case Optimus slumped again.

Optimus hummed a bit. He shifted uncomfortable and muttered. "I need to lay down."

Ultra nodded and gave Optimus some room to slide down onto the floor. "Chromia came in to check on us. I fell asleep, and I guess you didn't."

"Doesn't matter." Optimus stated, his words weak and breathy. He opened his optics a bit. "You look better."

Magnus smirked a bit. "I'm feeling better."

"Good for you." Optimus stated, a bit testily as he shifted on the cold floor.

"Maybe you'd be more comfortable in the berth." Ultra Magnus suggested.

Optimus shrugged tiredly. Ultra Magnus pat his shoulder, goading him up.

"Come on, I'll help you."

Help wasn't going to make the room stop spinning. Even his hold on Ultra Magnus felt slippery and weak. He knew Ultra wouldn't drop him or let him fall, but that didn't ease his conscious any until he was laying in the soft padding of the berth.

He shuttered his optics, ready for recharge, and felt the soft corners of a warming blanket tucked around him. He wasn't surprised to feel the white and blue slide into the berth as well. What he wasn't expecting, was a resounding metallic clang that echoed about the quiet room and originated from Optimus' side of the berth.

"What was that?" Ultra Magnus asked, sitting right up and looking at around until his optics rested on the red and blue mech.

"The sparkling." Optimus stated, unable to hold back and too tired to wipe the weary smile from his face.

"Really?" Ultra asked, a bit astounded. "Best news all day."

Optimus snorted a bit. "Lay back down and go to recharge."

Ultra didn't have to be told twice to lie down, but waited until Optimus was in recharge to go to sleep himself.

* * *

Author's Note- I know, I know...it's been way too long. It's been pulling teeth with this chapter, and it was by the skin of my teeth that I was able to get this!

Well, it looks like Jazz and Prowl get a new apartment! ( Can anyone guess what the door glyphs stand for? Kudos and cookies to those who guess correct!)

Anyways...I still need names. I have a TON of readers and no suggestions? I know, I'm picky and a terrible author for asking for suggestions, but I would really appreciate the names. All recognition and fame and glory and angelic choirs singing in background goes to you if your name is chosen. (And by that, I mean an author's note saying that you gave it. The fame and glory and angelic choirs can be yours with only a little imagination and a down payment of $29.99 sent to the tooth fairy, Santa Claus, the sand man, and Yo Momma!)


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"This is all your fault."

Well into his seventh groon, Prowl was large, had trouble getting up and moving about, and had been moved to light duty at HeadQuarters. He wasn't allowed to leave his desk unless it was to go home. Jazz had made sure of that.

And it was Jazz who was completely confused as he lay beside his sparkmate.

"What is mah fault?" he asked as he flipped over to look at Prowl in the recharge berth.

"This." Prowl motioned to his large stomach plating.

"Ah thought it took two, Prowler." Jazz stated.

"I thought so myself." Prowl replied. "But simple math and logic changed that thought,"

"Care to enlighten' meh?" Jazz asked.

"Yes, I would." Prowl returned. "You made half of each sparkling, correct?"

"Yep." Jazz stated.

"And there are two of them, correct?"

"Yes." Jazz answered.

"Two halves make a whole, so this is wholly your fault!" Prowl finished.

Jazz lay back, his processor audibly clicking as he processed what Prowl had said. It took a few kliks, but he finally started to chuckle at the heavily sparked motorcycle. He leaned over and planted a kiss on the coal black cheek.

"Go ta recharge, Prowler." Jazz said.

"Easy for you to say." Prowl huffed. "You don't have to sparkling's kick boxing your insides or crushing your ventilation shafts."

Jazz rolled his optics a bit, forgetting that his visor was retracted for recharge. Prowl scowled at him, but his face changed a breem later.

"Jazz?"

"Hmm?" Jazz hummed, half asleep.

"Do we have any oil?"

"Wha'?" Jazz asked, looking as if Prowl had lost his processor.

"Do we have any oil? I'm starving." Prowl stated.

"Ah don' know." Jazz replied. "Ya would have ta check the kitchen."

"Did you seriously just ask me to do that?" Prowl asked. "It would take less time for _you _to go get it."

"Why meh?" Jazz asked. "Ah wanna get some 'charge."

"Jazz, I can't get up by myself. It would take less time for you to go to the kitchen and get it then for me to try and get up."

"What of Ah gave ya a push?" Jazz offered slyly.

"I wouldn't be able to get back in the berth." Prowl stated.

Jazz vented. "All righ', al righ'. Ah'll get it."

Jazz swung his pedes up and dragged himself to the kitchen. He passed everything that they had recently done, the new paint and the furniture that had been moved and arranged. And 'arranged' as in Jazz pushed it about as Prowl told him where to put the stuff.

"Dern mech." Jazz muttered as he went into a cooling system and get out a can of oil. He poured it into a cube and headed back into the room.

He stopped and did a double take as he got back into the room. Prowl was still in the berth, dead asleep. Jazz sighed as he set the cube on a small table near Prowl's side of the berth and climbed into the berth himself. He grumbled for a few minutes until his chassis hitched and hiccupped with laughter. Prowl stirred next to him, humming in annoyance.

"What's...going on?" he asked sleepily.

"Nothin'." Jazz replied, calming down some. "Go back'ta sleep."

Prowl blinked lazily once or twice before doing just that. Jazz shook his helm as he lay down himself and went into recharge.

* * *

"Anything?" Ironhide asked as Chromia held the familiar plastic wand up.

"I'm checking." she replied. "Just give it a second."

Ironhide groaned breathily as he waited. "Well?"

"Negative." Chromia vented as she tossed out the sparked test.

Ironhide's spark sank. He wrapped a servo around he's bondmate's dusty blue shoulders.

"We've been trying for so long." Chromia said, her voice low to hide any tremors.

"It's only been a few groons." Ironhide tried to reassure her.

Chromia shook her helm. "Maybe...maybe we've been trying too hard."

"Too hard? Is there such a thing?" Ironhide asked.

Chromia shrugged him off. "There must be." she replied sharply.

"Hey, where you going?" Ironhide asked as she started to leave the berthroom.

"Work." the femme replied simply as she left the room completely. She was seen driving up the road a few breems later, a small cloud of dust following her.

Ironhide vented as he too followed, but made sure to keep his distance. 'There be no wrath like that of an angry femme.'

* * *

Ironhide felt himself stall a moment. Of course, he really shouldn't be worried. But...why had Ultra Magnus called him to his office? He was the bodyguard, he just stood around and didn't let bots get too close without an appointment.

"Ironhide." Ultra Magnus acknowledged as the red mech entered the room.

"Yes, sir?" Ironhide asked.

"I don't want to worry you, but Chromia has gone back home." Ultra Magnus said.

"What? Why would she do that, now?" Ironhide asked, confusion accenting his accent.

"She became ill an-"

"Wha'?"

Ultra Magnus swore that at least one of his audios blew out at that shout.

"Really, she's fine, Iron-"

"If she's sick, how is she fine?" Ironhide asked, his voice fit to kill, if only in decibles.

"I don't know the details." Ultra Magnus explained. "Optimus only told me that she became sick and had to go back home. If you want to know what happened, go to him. Or, better yet, go see Chromia herself."

Ironhide shuffled his pede just a tiny bit. He couldn't leave his duty, but he also couldn't leave his mate alone.

"Ironhide, you don't need to be here all the time." Ultra Magnus said. "You can take a few days off and-"

"Let some creep come an' get you or Optimus?" Ironhide finished.

"That's not what I was going to say." Ultra Magnus stated.

"I'll go an' check on 'er." Ironhide muttered. "But I'm comin' right back."

"The offer for you to take off and take care of her stands for as long as it takes." Ultra Magnus replied, a slightly amused smirk on his face.

"I ain't takin' off." Ironhide grumbled as he left.

Ultra Magnus shook his helm as he heard the screech of rubber take off much to fast on the pavement.

* * *

Ironhide stopped when he reached their berthroom door. He thought he could hear something in there, keening maybe, but it was so distant and soft that it could have simply been venting.

He slid open the door to find it bare of all life. The berth's blankets were all ruffled though, and were still warm. The sound of running liquid hit his audios next, but not of the showers. The tap was running.

He went towards the wash racks only to nearly collide with the bulky femme.

"'Hide!" she exclaimed, slightly rasped as she nearly tripped into his chassis.

He took her servos to keep her standing. How come others, no matter how strong they were, always felt so delicate when ill?

"Are you all right? Ultra told me you was sick." Ironhide stated, not even bothering to hide any worry in his voice.

"I'm fine." Chromia tried o reassure him.

"What happened?" Ironhide asked, puling her towards the berth and making her lay down.

Chromia chuckled a bit, but dryly and not very much amused at what she was laughing at. "I feel kinda foolish, now that I think it over."

"What?" Ironhide pressed.

Chromia vented as she sat against the headboard. "When I showed up at Optimus' office, I was all worked up. He could tell that something was wrong, and wouldn't let me do anything or go anywhere until I told him what was wrong."

"What did you tell him?" Ironhide asked.

"I told him that we've been trying and that it hasn't been working." Chromia answered, her optics downcast. "I...I guess I started cryin' and all that stupid stuff."

"Ultra Magnus said that you were sick." Ironhide stated. "Being sad and being sick are two different things."

"Like I told you, I got all worked up." Chromia said, her face plates getting warm. "After that talk with Optimus, I was even more upset. I know he meant to be nice and all, but it still didn't help any."

"Optimus ticked you off?"

Chromia let out a snort. "Like that mech could tick anybot off. No, genious, _he_ didn't tick me off... I ticked myself off. He tried to reassure me that this stuff takes time and all that slag."

"This still isn't getting anywhere." Ironhide stated, his accent getting thicker as he got more and more irritated.

"Well, afterwards I guess I kinda...purged a bit." Chromia admitted, her face warm and red.

"You kinda purged?" Ironhide asked.

"Yeah." Chromia nodded. "A, ah, few times, actually. Some stupid femme came into the wash racks then. I threatened to string her up from her earfins if she told anyone, but _another_ femme overheard me threatening her and told Optimus. And that landed me here."

"You get another virus?" Ironhide asked, pressing a hand to her forehelm.

"Don't be stupid." Chromia grumbled, pushing off his hand. "I just worked myself up. That's it. Optimus gave me the day off to 'rest up'."

Ironhide vented and shook his helm. "Femmes." he muttered under his vents. "What were you doin' in the wash racks? Sick again?"

"No!" Chromia scolded. "I was washing off my face."

Iromhide went to give her a weird look, only to notice purple lines through her optics. They were bloodshot from crying. He put a hand out and slapped it down on her knee before rubbing it a bit, comfortingly.

"Don' worry." Ironhide said. "You'll get sparked."

"And what if I don't?" Chromia asked. "What if all of this is for nothing? Everything we've done, doesn't turn out?"

"Wha'? A little 'facin'? We woulda done it even if we weren't tryin'." Ironhide stated, smirking.

Chromia snorted. "We probably would have."

"Why don't we do so now?" Ironhide suggested suggestively, pushing her back.

Chromia easily pushed him off and onto the floor. "Not right now, 'Hide. I've got a processor ache."

Ironhide vented and picked himself up. He brushed himself off, and silently left the room. Chromia's face fell as she saw him drive up the road a few breems later. She lay down, and shuttered her optics against the familiar sting of coolant that wanted to slip out.

Being alone, there was no reason to deny it. She was oblivious of nothing but the emptiness in her spark, her womb, and her room. She didn't notice the sound of an engine coming up the road, or the door sliding back open.

"Hey, now." Ironhide's voice came from beside her, startling her a bit. "What's with this crying?"

"Hide!" Chromia exclaimed, throwing her servos about his neck, still sobbing. "You-you came back."

"Of course I came back, femme! Were'd you think I was goin'?" Ironhide drawled. "Now get some 'charge."

Chromia nodded and shuttered her optics, but peeped out with one to see what the red mech was doing. She thought her spark was going to break, or overflow with joy, when she saw him take a few things out of his subspace and set them on the berthside table.

A cube of energon, sparkling pink from its high energy content, and a package of chalk sheets. She closed her optics, both of them, and fell into recharge.

* * *

Optimus vented as he paused by Prowl's office door. From the way things sounded from the inside, he wasn't alone. Muffled shouts were coming from inside, making Optimus think twice before knocking. He pulled his hand back away from the door, it having never made contact with the thick metal.

"Prowler, ya shouldn't even fraggin' be 'ere!"

Optimus flinched at how high and loud Jazz's voice was.

"Jazz, I'm not even doing anything but sitting at a desk all day!"

Prowl could get good and loud himself too. Optimus felt terrible for eavesdropping, but something seemed to have happened to his pedes, they seemed to have locked up.

"Prowler, Ratch said-"

"Ratchet said to take it easy! What is so difficult about writing a report?"

Jazz vented hard, his hands in fists. "Prowl, I just don' wanna repeat everythin' tha' happened. I-"

"You think I _want_ that to happen?" Prowl exclaimed. "You think I wanted to lose them?"

"Prowler, I didn' mean it like-"

"Do you remember the first one, Jazz?" Prowl asked, his voice no longer yelling but depressingly low. "Do you remember? All the way back to Sensei Yokitron. Do you remember how still she was? How tiny-"

"Prowler, please." Jazz pleaded, his voice all but sobbing.

"How tiny her digits were? How she fit in your hand and-"

"Prowler!" Jazz exclaimed.

"How about the others? Do you remember the ones that never made it past my spark?" Prowl asked, his voice deathly void of emotion.

"Prowl, stop."

"How about the one that Sensei Yokitron wouldn't even let us s_ee_? He took it away in a closed bag, for Primus sake!" Prowl shouted, his voice cracking. "We never even got to know what it was."

"Prowler." Jazz begged, his voice showing such emotion that it had no perfect word to describe it. Mournful, quiet, pleading, depressed just barely explained it.

Optimus flinched as he heard muffled sobs, and then Jazz's voice murmuring something he couldn't catch. His spark ached as he felt his sparkling move about, reminding him of the one he lost. Prowl and Jazz, though, lost so much. They hid so much, things that shouldn't be hidden yet shouldn't be kept to themselves.

Optimus pulled his audio away from the door, and found that he once again had control over his pedes. He slunk away from the office to seek out the silence of his own.

* * *

Author's Note- I know, short and VERY sucky. I still have my muse for this story, have everything planned out even, but seem to be having trouble writing it. It was just this chapter, though, so don't worry.

Yes, Ironhide is becoming a better mate, thank you for noticing!

LAST CHANCE TO SEND IN NAMES! Okay, I lie. You can send in names up to the point where I actually name them, but I'm in the final stretch of this story!

AUTHOR'S ALERT- I am currently looking for a beta reader. You must be a fanfictioner who is on at least one a week, and catch spelling and gramatical errors. I proof read and use the new DocX (you should know what I'm talking about) myself, but would like someone just to read my stories to see if they flow well. I do NOT get mad at all if you tell me that is sucks (even if you use worse language then that!) The stories would be as such: Ratchet's Sick Days, A Prime Problem, To The Death, SparkScream, and a few others. (Give and take, so roughly three stories)

Thank you!

Also, The door number stood for J-P, Jazz and Prowl! Good going Galem!


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

* * *

Optimus shifted in his desk. Being heavily sparked was acutely uncomfortable. He had work to do, but-for lack of better word- the little _slagger_ took great pride in kicking him until he was sore. The kicks were not quite by any means, and often interrupted important meetings and foreign delegates and -worse still- _recharge_. He would toss and turn for joors at a time, or wander aimlessly through the halls and fall into recharge on the couch.

Speaking or which, Optimus gave himself a shake to keep from falling asleep at his desk...again. It was nearly quitting time, and then time for a nap, sparkling permitting.

A sharp rap at his door jerked Optimus further from drooling on his desk. It revealed none other then Blurr, rushing in with yet another stack of data-pads.

"Prowl-finished-up-the-next-stack." Blurr said swiftly. "He-says-that-he-should-be-finished-with-the-next- bunch-in-a-joor."

"A joor?" Optimus asked, answered by head spinning nods. "Shifts end in a half-joor."

"Maybe-for-you,-but-Prowl's-working-overtime." Blurr stated.

"Overtime? Does Jazz know of this?" Optimus mused.

"Oh-he-knows-all-right,-and-he's-not-happy-about-i t-at-all." Blurr smirked."But-he-leaves-himself-in-a-half-joor."

"He's leaving Prowl here?" Optimus asked, knowing that he shouldn't be gossiping but wanted to make sure that both mechs were okay.

"Just-to-get-to-his-other-job." Blurr stated."He's-working-on-the-other-side-of-town. I'm-not-sure-what-he's-doing,-though." Blurr took a breath to continue, but his comm. link beeped just as fast as his mouth. "I-gotta-go."

Optimus started to say good-bye, but the blue blur raced away before he had the chance to. He let what Blurr had said tumble through his processor, but at a much slower speed then it had been spat out at. He checked his chronometer, pleased that quitting time was now much sooner. He pushed back his chair with a heavy, scraping sound as he rose.

He had a visit to pay a certain mech.

* * *

Ironhide vented as Chromia emerged from the wash racks, a dusty blue instead of her usual bright sky color. She wiped the edge of her mouth once as he tried to push by him.

"Chromes." Ironhide rumbled, jabbing out a servo to stop her in her tracks. "That's the third time."

"In two weeks." Chromia stated. "Must be something in the-"

"I believed ya the first time, gave you the second time, but a third time? Chromia, that ain't a bad cube." Ironhide argued. "Somethin's goin' on."

"Ironhide, really-"

"Fool me once, shame on ya. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me thrice...uh-"

"Ya' done, hotshot?" Chromia rolled her optics. "I'm not even entirely certain that quote matches this situation."

"Damn." Ironhide grumbled.

"I'm fine, 'Hide." Chromia assured him, tracing a pattern on his chassis. "Stop worrying so much."

"Can't help it." Ironhide stated.

Chromia chuckled a bit, leaning up to kiss his cheek. Ironhide pushed her away before her lips touched his face.

"Nothin' against you, but ya did just purge." Ironhide said sheepishly.

Chromia scoffed, and decided a slap to his shoulder was needed more then a kiss. She left to go take Optimus home, as his shift was up. Ultra Magnus' shift carried on a bit longer today, due to a Vocian deligate proposing some sort of bill or something like that.

She was a bit surprised to see him turning a hall, but not very. Prowl's office was that way. They were probably talking about something pertaining to being sparked, or something like that. She vented as she followed in his footsteps, towards the Cyber-ninja's office.

* * *

Laying down his stylus, Prowl vented as he rubbed his throbbing temple. He looked at the pile of work that he had yet to do, and counted what he had done that day. Was it thirty or forty pad's he'd done so far this day? No matter, he still had more to do.

A sharp rap at his door caused him to start, and the sparkling's jab him harshly at his quick movement. He vented out, being very sore and sensitive from the nonstop movement and kicking. It was like a tag team, one would stay up all day while the other took the night shift. It wasn't uncommon for both to stretch his womb at the same time.

"Prowl, I'd like to speak to you." Optimus stated as he entered the room.

The red and blue mech refrained from shivering at the cold air suddenly blasted on him. It was a rather hot day, and a sparked carrier gets overheated _very_ easily, but the North Pole on Earth was warmer then this room!

"Forgive me for not rising." Prowl apologized.

Optimus shook his helm, brushing away the comment. "What are you still doing here?"

"Working." Prowl answered smartly.

"You know what I mean." Optimus stated.

"Why should it matter?" Prowl asked, a bit hotly. "Nobody asked you for your input."

Optimus kept himself from taking a step back. He had forgotten about how moody Prowl was now. His frame was always uncomfortable warm, due to the extra body heat in him and the insulation the sparklings needed. He was also limited in just about everything that had to do with moving and walking, making him sore.

"Prowl, I'm only concerned abo-"

"Well don't be!" Prowl snapped.

His agitation seemed to melt away. He vented as he pinched the bridge of his olfactory sensor.

"I...sorry." Prowl mumbled.

"It's all right." Optimus replied. "But, I am still worried about you. You need to rest. You're not even supposed to be on your pedes. How are you getting here and back? You can't transform."

Prowl snorted, being reminded of yet another restriction. Of course, Optimus couldn't transform either, so he shouldn't be too upset.

"Walking doesn't hurt anyone." Prowl stated.

"It can if their not supposed to be." Optimus countered. "Are you honestly walking all this way and back? That's..."

"Half an astro-mile." Prowl answered before Optimus finished calculating.

"That's too far." Optimus stated.

"It does me good." Prowl argued. "It's the only time I get to actually move around some. If I'm not at this desk, then I'm sitting on my large aft somewhere else."

Optimus bit his lower lip to get from laughing at that. Prowl scoffed a bit as he continued.

"Besides, Jazz and I walk here in the mornings." Prowl said.

"You go back alone?" Optimus asked.

Prowl gave a single nod. Optimus vented and shook his helm.

"It's all right, really."

"You shouldn't be alone." Optimus said.

"For Primus sake." Prowl muttered under his breath. "You're as bad as Jazz! If something _did_ happen, it's not like I don't have a comm. link to call somebot! I know bots all over the city, I'm certain somebody will be close enough."

"You can't be sure of that." Optimus stated. "I mean, what if-"

"Sorry to inturrupt the chit-chat, girls." a familiar voice came from the now open doorway. "But I've gotta get you home before Ultra has a shit fit."

"Where did you learn that?" Optimus asked with a vent. "You've never been to Earth."

"Not yet." Chromia corrected. "And Arcee has been."

Optimus shook his helm. Chromia came over to tug on his servo. She looked at the mech at the deck.

"Hello, Prowl. Put on a little weight?" she smirked.

"Frag you." Prowl replied calmly.

"Right back at ya', love." the blue femme replied. "Let's go, Optimus. I'm not kidding about Ultra having a fit."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Optimus asked as he was being unmercifully yanked by a bulky blue femme.

"I'm better then you'll be if you don't listen to the femme." Prowl answered.

He smirked as Optimus was given a final yank, and disappeared behind the closing door. After taking a sip of a cube of energon on his desk, he took up his stylus, and continued his work.

* * *

Prowl vented hard as he turned up another street. He gasped silently as another mini-contraction caused his hilariously large stomach to contract painfully. He placed one hand over it, squeezing a bit as he caught sight of the apartment complex.

"Almost there." Prowl whispered to the wind, goading himself on. "Just a bit more."

A sparkling kicked him, hard, making a resounding clang to echo through his armour. He grumbled as he pushed open one of the double doors and scurried, well, as much as he could scurry, into the elevator. He slumped against the back of it, just as another contraction hit him.

He couldn't reach the apartment fast enough. He didn't even bother getting a cube of energon or washing off as he slumped onto the couch, optics shuttered tight behind his visor. He sucked air in, held it, and let it out again in a harsh whoosh.

"Curse these bracks and hicks." he muttered as he shifted to try and get comfortable.

He didn't even bother to reopen his optics, too tired to care. He slipped into recharge within the breem.

He was blatantly aware of someone shaking him. He sighed as he forced his optics open, visor lighting up as he did so.

"Hey, Prowler." Jazz said softly. "Ya okay?"

"Just resting." Prowl answered, shifting as he once again became uncomfortable.

"Ya sure? Ya look like yer hurtin', an' tired." Jazz said, worry not even hidden on his white face.

"Positive." Prowl answered, laying his helm back against the back of the soft sofa. This couch was so much nicer then the one they had on earth.

"Have ya' fueled yet?" Jazz asked, making his way to the kitchenette to get himself a cube of energon.

"Not yet." Prowl answered. "I fell into recharge right when I got back."

Jazz nodded as he grabbed a second cube from the cooling device. He headed back to the couch, and eased himself next to Prowl.

"Here ya go." Jazz offered, handing him a cube.

"Thanks." Prowl replied as he accepted it.

Much to his dismay, he was only able to drink a fourth of it before becoming very full. He was still too tired to care though, and set it down on the coffee table and lay back on the couch.

"You feelin' okay?"

"I'm fine." Prowl answered, making sure his voice sounded good and annoyed. "You try eating an entire cube when you have two sparklings squishing everything."

"Way ta ruin an appetite." Jazz teased, pretending to set his cube down. He picked it right back up, though, and finished it.

Prowl didn't answer as he vented out. A black hand ghosted over his stomach plating as he he tensed up a bit.

"Prowler?"

"Easy, Jazz." Prowl said breathily, settling back down. "It's just a contracti-"

"Wha'?" Jazz exclaimed, leaping up and upsetting the couch greatly.

"Jazz." Prowl complained. "It's a _mini_ contraction. A brack and hick. It's completely normal. They just...hurt."

Jazz vented as he sat back down. "Com'ere, Prowler."

Prowl turned to look to see Jazz laying down, offering to let Prowl lay down next to him on the narrow sofa.

"I'm too heavy for you." Prowl mumbled tiredly. "And it's too hot to cuddle."

"Not if Ah turn mah coolin' fans on high." Jazz stated, his fans clicking on and the blades whirring to show such.

Prowl vented, too tired to argue. He somehow managed to easy himself next to Jazz. He was laying more one the white mech then the actual couch, but neither were complaining. Prowl moaned softly, tired and sore all over.

"Primus." he mumbled. "My pedes are killing me."

"You're pushing yourself too much, Prowler." Jazz stated, sitting up and leaving Prowl on the other side of the couch.

Prowl grunted a bit, close to falling into recharge. "All I do is sit at that desk all day. Then I walk home, that's it."

"Too much." Jazz said in an agreeing voice. He picked up one of Prowl's pedes, and slowly started to massage the tenseness away and the knots out.

Prowl vented at the soothing administrations. It felt so good. Despite himself, not that he was fighting it, he fell into recharge once again. Jazz smirked as a chorus of little knocks erupted from his abdominal plating.

"Ey, simmah down now." Jazz said lowly, tired as well.

He was working two jobs now. One at Autobot Headquarters, the other as a janitor at a local store. It didn't pay well at all, but was all he could get in this area that would let him be close to Prowl.

He lay back down, facing his ebony mate, and wrapped a servo around him. He shuttered his optics, and quickly fell into a near exhausted recharge.

* * *

Jazz flinched as he looked at his recharging mate. He had awoken some time in the night, woken up Prowl, and then both had collapsed into the berth to get some proper rest.

It was morning now, early morning. The second moon had yet to set. It was also time for them to get up and get ready to leave for work. He hated this part, as it involved waking Prowl up. Oh, well. Best get it over with before they were both late.

Jazz gently leaned over to Prowl's side of the berth, and reached out to him. He shook him gently.

"Prowler, hey. Com'mon, now. Time ta wake up." Jazz said lowly.

Prowl shifted, muttered something, and then lit up his visor just a tiny bit.

"Take yer time gettin' up." Jazz whispered as he kissed him a bit to wake him up more. "Ah'm takin' a quick wash."

Prowl hummed in understanding, reaching under his visor to rub his optics. Jazz slid back off of the berth and made his way to the wash racks. Prowl heard the cleansing fluid turn on, and the sound of liquid reflecting off a metal surface. With a tired vent, he pushed himself up.

Alas, his weight forced him back down. Gritting his denta, he swung himself up and tossed his pedes off the berth. He took a deep vent as a brack and hick contracted his stomach. Once it passed, he pushed himself up and onto unsteady pedes.

He groaned in sync with the buckling metal. His visor flashed white in pain as the floor rushed up to meet him.

* * *

Jazz's spark stopped and he nearly slipped when a panic laced, staticed voice cried out to him after a loud thud. He rushed from the wash rack, leaving the liquid running and still covered in suds himself.

"Prowler!" Jazz exclaimed as he found the black and gold mech on the floor, picking himself up.

Prowl didn't answer, gripping both the edge of the berth and his stomach plating as he tried to pull himself up.

Jazz hooked him beneath the servos and hoisted him up onto the berth. The black mech rocked forward, both servos wrapped around his tight stomach armour as his visor whited out in pain.

"What happened?" Jazz demanded, a hand on Prowl's servo as he vented harshly.

"I-I fell." Prowl gasped out, his visor going from white to a faint blue.

"Did ya trip?" Jazz asked, casting a quick glance at the bare floor.

Prowl shook his helm. "My pedes...they j-just...gave out."

A soft moan escaped his vocalizer. Jazz rubbed his servo, gently hushing him.

"Lay back, Prowler." Jazz ordered gently, helping his scoot up to the headboard.

Unable to lie flat on his back, he leaned against the gray headboard, his visor becoming gray itself as he shuttered his optics. He gasped a bit, starting forward as he sharp contraction pierced him.

"Easy." Jazz comforted. "Ratch'll be 'ere in a few breems."

"You-" he gasped.

"Ah called." Jazz answered the unfinished question.

"Jazz?" Prowl breathily asked.

"Yeah?"

"Can-can you go...rinse off?" Prowl asked. "Your covered in soap, and the water's still running."

Jazzz smirked besides himself, and quickly left to accomplish the simple tasks. In the shower, he sent a ping to Cliffjumper, Secretary and Receptionist to HQ, saying that he was _not_ coming in today.

* * *

"I knew he was pushing himself." Optimus stated, after being briefed by Ultra Magnus about what had happened.

"Think of it this way." Ultra suggested. "This is your chance to catch up in all those data-pads you got behind in."

"That's not fair." Optimus contradicted. "I'm plenty caught up! Just...give me a few joors."

Ultra shook his helm and smirked. "Go on."

* * *

"Is 'e all righ'?" Jazz asked, turning from his pacing after Ratchet exited the berthroom.

"He's resting." Ratchet answered lowly. "He'll be tired and sore when he wakes up, but do _not_ let him get up."

"On berthrest?"

"He's not even allowed out of the berth." Ratchet answered.

Jazz vented. "Prowler ain't gonna like tha'."

"Let me make this clear." Ratchet stated. "Prowl is not to leave the berth _at all_. The only exception is a _quick_ and _assisted_ wash."

"Assisted?" Jazz perked up a bit.

"And no definitely no interfacing, mergings, anything that'll excite or stress him too much." Ratchet stated. "Interfacing this far along could have the sparklings be born prematurely."

"Darn." Jazz said, slumping a bit.

"It's only a few weeks, Jazz. Four at the most." Ratchet said.

Jazz nodded. He sat down on the worn sofa, hearing it's metal springs creak under his weight. He vented, calming the flustered and uneasy nerves in his frame and his queasy tank.

"Jazz, even if he had gone into labor the sparklings could have been safely delivered. He's far enough along now that they could be born any breem. I'm only saying that it _could_ be a few weeks." Ratchet explained, hoping to ease some of the panic.

Jazz nodded again. "Thanks, doc."

Ratchet rumbled something back, and made was way from the apartment. Jazz slipped back into the berthroom. It's blinds were closed and the lights off, leaving the room as dark and cool as a tomb. The only sound was Prowl's soft, steady intakes and the occasional kick of a sparkling.

Jazz breathed out, his vent shuddering a bit. He felt the familiar sting of coolant rising in his optics. It had been too close. Much to close.

"Ya better stay with meh." Jazz ordered softly, placing a hand over his mates. "You an' the sparklin's."

* * *

"**IRONHIDE!**"

Said mech flinched at the audio shattering decibles that femme had managed to reach. His audios rang for a good thirty nano-secs before stopping.

"Primus! What is it, femme?" Ironhide asked.

"Guess." Chromia stated, grabbing his neck and swinging a bit.

Ironhide grabbed her blue servos and pried them off. "Ya interrupt me from the paper, burst my audios, and then tell me to guess? I hate guessing!"

"But it's a surprise." Chromia pouted, playing with a data-pad in her hands.

"I don't like surprises, either."

"Spoilsport." Chromia grumbled as she slapped the data-pad to his chassis.

"What is this?" Ironhide asked, raising an optic ridge.

"Online it and find out." Chromia teased.

Ironhide rolled his optics and vented before onlining the pad. He hurriedly slapped a hand over his optics and thrust it back at her.

"Primus, femme! What do you think your doing?" he shouted.

"Oh, don't be like that!" Chromia exclaimed. "It's not like you haven't seen one before."

"Only when mergin'!" Ironhide cried out.

"It's _my_ spark." Chromia said defiantly. "And _our_ sparkling!"

Ironhide slid his fingers down a bit, peeping through his digits at her. Shock clearly wrote itself on his face.

"What?"

Chromia nearly vibrated with excitement. She nodded at processor rattling speeds. "I'm sparked! Nearly a groon and a half along!"

"A groon and a-, but that'd mean-"

"The test was a dud." Chromis finished. "I was sparked the entire time."

"Which explains your purgin's and moody-ness." Ironhide stated.

He was answered by a sharp slap to the face and a near tearful voice. "I'm not moody!"

"No, no. Of course your not." Ironhide said in a sugary sweet voice. "I didn't mean it that way."

"You better not have." Chromia threatened. Her face broke out once again into smiles as she squealed, making Ironhide flinch. "I've gotta tell Optimus!"

"Nope." Ironhide mumbled after she left. "Not moody at all. Just a fraggin' typhoon of emotions!"

: I heard that, slagger :

"Frag."

: That too :

* * *

Author's Notes - YES! CHROMIA IS FINALLY SPARKED! *puts hand to ear and hears all the fangirl/fanboy squeals*

That's it for names! All names have been chosen and are being woven into the technological, wordy, electronic fabric of the story! After each name has been used, at the end of the chapter, your name (username) will be placed to show that you were the genius behind the designation!

We're getting so close to the end I can almost taste it! It tastes like victory.

I LOVE IT!

Also, I have a Beta- Reader! This chapter is not beta'd by anyone (except me), but hopefully Ratchet 171 will beta the next! If you're reading this, Ratch, Thank you so much!

ALSO, I do NOT own the line Jazz said. If you found it, great! If you didn't, 'Simmer down now' was from a Saturday Night Live spoof. (Com'mon, I live in New York. SNL is a great show! )

One More Thing, I don't know if Cliff was used in TFA...I just threw him in there for good measure.


	14. Chapter 14 Prowl

Chapter 14

Prowl groaned. It just wasn't fair! He'd been in this berth for nearly two and a half weeks. He was miserable with a capital 'M'. Every single part of his frame hurt, and he felt like a big, fat, lazy burden.

It was also terribly, horribly, and _unbearably_ hot. To make matters worse, the building's upper cooling systems had broken down about three orns _after_ Prowl had been forced on berthrest. Every apartment on the eighth level and above was submerged into a deathly heat. All that kept Prowl cool was one little fan that offered a little puff of cool air when it felt like it.

Things were far from good for Jazz as well. He was nearly making himself sick with worry and was wearing himself out with both jobs. He would work long and hard at Headquarters, and then go work for an afthole of a boss as a janitor at a large store. He would get home later and later each day; tired, hungry, and dirty.

"Wha's wrong?" Jazz asked, flopping into the berth after refueling and washing.

"You're hot." Prowl mumbled.

"Thank ya kindly." Jazz said, his visor offline as he approached that state between awareness and unconsciousness.

"Not like that." Prowl stated, just as exhausted. "From your shower. Your armor's too hot."

"Hmm." Jazz mumbled.

Despite the fact that his mate was making him melt, Prowl curled up next to him. Well, as much as he could, anyways. He stroked the white servo that must have felt like a lead block. Jazz's helm tilted to the side a bit more as his vents became steady and soft.

Prowl laid his helm down on his shoulder and tried to go into recharge. A loud, double knocking, though, deflated any hopes he had of resting any time soon. He grumbled as he shifted a bit, wanting to stay with Jazz, but the sparklings making it increasingly uncomfortable. The knockings didn't stop, but got stronger.

"Stop it." Prowl gritted out between clenched denta.

A good, firm kick stretched the very limits of his gestational chamber, making Prowl flinch a bit. The kick had also been placed just so that Jazz felt it through his armor. He jolted a bit with a snort.

"Wha'? Wha's wrong?" Jazz croaked out in a sleepy voice.

"Nothing, Jazz." Prowl assured him. "One of your sparklings decided that you should be up as well."

"Mah sparklin's? Ah thought they were ours." Jazz stated, smirking tiredly.

"They're yours when they won't let me recharge." Prowl replied, groaning as another set of knocks burst from his stomach armor. He rolled off of Jazz and lifted his helm to look at his stomach. "Shut up!"

Jazz snorted.

"I'm serious!" Prowl stated firmly. "Shut up or get out!"

"Ain't it too early for that?" Jazz asked seriously.

"I'm more than ready." Prowl grumbled.

Jazz chuckled and leaned over to kiss Prowl on the forehelm. He found himself sitting up all the way and leaning up and over; just to reach his mate's face.

"That's jus' sad." Jazz laughed.

"Rub it in." Prowl groused. "You can't even kiss me, you have to climb over me."

"Least it's not yer fault." Jazz teased, rubbing his hand over the too-large belly. "It'll go away once these two come out."

"It had better be soon." Prowl stated in an un-amused tone. "I don't know how much more I can take."

Another chorus of knocks sounded, followed by a flinch and a tired groan. Jazz kissed his hand, a much easier target.

"Get some 'charge, love." Jazz said, lying back down.

"You too." Prowl returned, sighing as he knew recharge was most likely wishful thinking.

He shuttered his optics anyways, letting his visor go out. Maybe he could, at the very least, rest.

* * *

Prowl gasped sharply as he jerked up, quite a feat seeing as he could barely sit up within five breems. He grabbed his stomach plating as a sharp pain rippled through it.

He vented as he leaned against the headboard, blue visor lighting up a bit of the night with a dim glow. He vented out slowly.

"It was just a brack and hick." He whispered to himself, but still remained sitting up as he started a timer in his helm.

Ten breems later, another contraction made his stomach tighten painfully. He bit his glossa to keep from yelping at how strong it was. Twelve minutes later, another happened at a greater magnitude. He bit his glossa after giving a small shout.

It had barely sounded in the room, but had been more than enough to wake up Jazz. The mech seemed to become a light sleeper, just to keep an optic on Prowl.

"Wha's goin' on?" Jazz questioned, sitting up and taking a hold of the black servo.

"Nothing." Prowl said. "Just a contraction."

"Brack 'n hick?" Jazz asked, not wanting to worry unless he had too.

Prowl reluctantly shook his helm. "They're too far apart, though, to be worrying. Go back to recharge. I'll wake you if I need to."

Jazz hummed as he lay back down. "When was yer last one?" He mumbled.

"Two breems ago."

Jazz hummed again. Prowl envied how fast he could fall into recharge. Not wanting to lie back down, he let his helm rest against the headboard and shuttered his optics. Five breems later, he jerked and hissed a bit.

"Seven minutes." Jazz stated, not even onlining his visor.

"Now you're keeping time?" Prowl chuckled a bit.

"Gotta." Jazz answered.

"They need to be five before a hospital even thinks of admitting me." Prowl stated. "It probably won't happen tonight, so you really should get some recharge."

"Yeah, yeah." Jazz waved him off, servo flopping down as recharge protocal took over.

Prowl vented, and kept the next pain to himself eight breems later.

* * *

Jazz woke to have the berth next to him strangely empty. He onlined his visor to yell at Prowl to get back in the berth, only to find said mech sitting on the edge. His pedes dangled off the berth, and his helm was low as he vented in. Jazz sat up and scooted over to his side, and wrapped a servo around him.

"Prowler? How ya' feelin'?"

"Just tired." Prowl answer. He hand tightened around Jazz's as his stomach visibly tightened.

"How long was tha'?"

"Nine breems." Prowl answered. "They're all over the place. Before that it was six."

Jazz nodded. "Ah'm not sure Ah should go in today."

Prowl shook his helm. "It could take orns, Jazz. There's no point in you staying here if you don't have to."

Jazz shrugged. "It could be orns, it could be a few joor."

"I don't think it'll happen today." Prowl stated.

"How can ya be so sure?" Jazz asked.

"It is my frame." Prowl stated.

Jazz nodded. "I'll get ready ta go, but if anythin' happens-"

"Jazz, would I really hide _labor_ from you?" Prowl asked.

Jazz chuckled, seeing how foolish he was being. He got up and got a jar of polish from the desk. He'd washed last night, so he just needed to shine up a bit.

"Whatch'ya doin' hangin' off the berth like tha', anyways?" Jazz asked as he rubbed the polishing cloth on his pede, balancing on the edge of a chair that went to the desk.

"It's too uncomfortable to lay flat." Prowl answered. "It makes the contractions stronger, no matter how far apart they are."

Jazz nodded as he switched to his other pede. "Would ya like ta go out ta the livin' room?"

"Is that allowed?" Prowl asked.

"Ratch said ya had to be layin' down, but if ya can't lay down an' ya can't move around, how can ya stay on the berth? At least on the couch it'll be more comfortable ta sit." Jazz mused.

Prowl nodded a bit. "I guess that would be all right."

Jazz quickly finished polishing, wiping up a few streaks on his chassis before tossing the rag on the desk and replacing the jar of polish.

"Com'mon." Jazz said, sliding his servos beneath Prowl's and hefting him to his pedes.

"Easier said then done." Prowl gritted out.

"Jus' sit down, nice 'n easy." Jazz stated, helping Prowl ease onto the sofa. He went to the kitchenette and got a cube of energon for him. "Anyhin' ya need?"

Prowl shook his helm, tired. "You're going to be late."

Jazz shrugged. He leaned down to kiss him, much easier now that Jazz was above him. He left, his tank in knots and processor whirling at what could happen.

* * *

Prowl shifted on the couch, gasping as yet another painful contraction stabbed him.

"Five." he mumbled as he counted the breems.

After nine minutes and nothing happened, Prowl gave up the hope of having the sparklings any time soon. He shuttered his optics, and would have been pleasantly surprised to find that he fell into recharge, despite the contractions.

* * *

Jazz hurried to Ultra Magnus' office, data-pads in hand. He was filling in for Prowl, doing the pads he would be doing if he were here. He was a good deal slower, but he got them done. Well, some of them anyways.

His processor was even more full than his servos as he walked into the Magnus' office, forgetting to knock. He deposited the pads on the desk and turned to leave again. On his way back to the door, he stopped and looked around. He turned to see an equally confused Magnus, stylus poised and frozen in his hand.

"Is something the matter?" Ultra asked slowly.

"Jeez, sorry mech!" Jazz exclaimed. "Jus' got too wrapped up in mah thoughts, ah guess."

"Something on your mind?" Ultra questioned, dismissing Jazz's apology.

"Jus' the usual." Jazz stated. "Prowl says 'es close."

"I see." Ultra stated.

"Ah gotta get." Jazz stated. "Prowler's much faster at these pads. Ah fell asleep twice while doin' 'em!"

Ultra Magnus chuckled a bit as the white Cyber-ninja scurried away to finish his work.

* * *

Jazz looked at Prowl, worried as the other mech's vents were panting.

"Prowl-"

"I'm-" He gasped. "Fine."

He waited for the grip on his hand to lesson before speaking again. "How long was tha'?"

"Six breems." Prowl answered, laying his helm on Jazz's shoulder.

He was still in the living room, something muted on the holo-vid.

"Too far ta' take ya in?" Jazz stated, more than asked.

Prowl nodded tiredly, his visor a dusty blue as he fought to keep his optics open. "They have to be actively five...or less."

"Tired?" Jazz asked, petting a black servo.

Prowl nodded, jerking a bit to stay awake. The gentle brushes on his servo, though, were putting him to sleep. And... was Jazz _humming_? Frag him. Oh, wait. That's how all this had started.

He jerked up, hissing. Well, so much for recharge.

"Prowler-"

"I know." Prowl sighed, easing back down. "Three breems, but it has to be _actively_ five or less breems."

Jazz mumbled that he knew. Prowl shifted to try and get comfortable. Try, though, was all he was able to do as there was no possible way to get comfortable.

He yelped a bit four breems later.

"Prowler." Jazz said in a warning voice.

Prowl vented. "You... you might want to get my bag."

"Yer bag?"

Prowl nodded. "I packed a bag a few orns ago. Things for the hospital and sparkling."

Jazz nodded and rose to get it. "Where is it?"

"Under the berth." Prowl called after him.

"How'd ya pack a bag if ya weren't supposed ta' get outta bed?" Jazz asked, grabbing the small duffle bag and pulling it out.

Prowl vented. "I got out. Don't-I know-bad Prowl. Can we go now before I give birth in the living room?"

"Comin'." Jazz said hurriedly as he tried to keep his cool.

Prowl had managed to get to his pedes, but was holding onto the kitchen counter to remain upright.

"Careful, mech!" Jazz exclaimed as he supported Prowl.

"You-" Prowl grit his denta for a second. "You have to call Ratchet."

Jazz nodded as he went up the hall towards the elevator with Prowl. He switched on his internal comm. link.

: Ratch? Are ya there, mech? :

: Jazz? :

: Ah'm takin' Prowler ta' the hospital. Sparklin's comin'! :

: Is he all right? : Ratchet asked.

: Ah think so : Jazz answered before rattling off how long he'd had contractions and how long between them.

Ratchet left Jazz, telling him to just get Prowl to the hospital as quickly as he could. He was already there, and was now waiting for them.

"Come on now." Jazz said, opening the back of the trailer they had just for this occasion.

"I know." Prowl snapped as he climbed in and sat down, his back leaning against the wall.

"All ready back there?" Jazz asked as he hitched himself to it like a truck to an RV.

"Just go." Prowl said, not in the mood for lightheartedness.

* * *

Jazz held the black servo, or Prowl crushed Jazz's. One way or another, Prowl was shouting and Jazz's servo was being crushed.

"Just take deep vents." Ratchet ordered, scanning Prowl's stomach armor as quickly as he could. He vented. "I've got some good news... and some bad."

"Tha' ain't good." Jazz said lowly, his visor narrowing at the medic.

"Prowl's going to need a cesarean. His gestational chamber is too small for him to deliver normally. He will deliver quickly, though." Ratchet stated.

Jazz's visor narrowed more.

"The last part was supposed to be-"

"Ah know." Jazz stopped him. "Jus' don' have ta' like it. Yer gonna cut Prowler up like-"

"Jazz." Ratchet scolded. "It's not like I'm hacking him apart. It's a medical incision to get _your_ sparklings out safely."

"Why can't 'e have 'em normal?" Jazz asked.

"He already answered." Prowl breathed his words, the contraction over as he was simply waiting for the next.

"Well, I could have you birth them naturally." Ratchet stated. "But there's a large chance that your spark would go out. Your chamber is barely large enough now to sustain them, let alone _deliver_ them."

Jazz vented. Prowl squeezed his hand a bit, this time in comfort for his mate instead of himself.

"It'll be all right, Jazz."

"Ah don' like the thought of ya bein' cut open." Jazz said.

"Neither do I." Prowl said, his visor bright with pain and showing just how nervous he was.

Jazz vented and nodded.

"Good." Ratchet said. "You two will have time to yourselves for a few breems. I'll be back."

The door swung closed as Ratchet left. Prowl's visor flickered off tiredly, his helm pounding.

"Hey, Prowler? Ya sleepin'?" Jazz's voice came out soft and hesitantly.

"No."

"Ya know..." Jazz started. "We haven't really decided on designations, have we?"

"We've discussed it." Prowl answered. "But, no, we haven't decided on any. Why?"

"No reason." Jazz stated. "Jus' thought the sparklin's' would wan' designations of their own. Nothin' serious."

"Don't be an aft." Prowl mumbled, becoming too tired to shout from the pain anymore.

"Jus' sayin'." Jazz shrugged.

Prowl rolled his optics and cast a look back at the door as Ratchet re-entered.

"Ready?"

* * *

A spark monitor beeped. Metallic tools hit a metal surface as a rolling tray was used. A clean, minty green cloth hung over Prowl's chassis, blocking his view of his lower half.

"Just take care of the upper half." Arcee said to Jazz. "We'll take care of everything else."

Jazz nodded nervously, outfitted himself with a mask and gloves.

"And don't look over here." Ratchet stated. "You'll hit the floor."

"Ah wouldn' pass out." Jazz groused, which would have amused Prowl some if he didn't feel like he was being sliced open, the C-section hadn't even started yet!

"That's what they all say." Ratchet rolled his optics. He filled a vial. "Just a little local anesthesia."

Prowl felt the cold needle go into the soft protoform of his stomach area. A warm numbness climbed through his, causing him to feel tingly.

"Starting." Arcee said as Ratchet took up a surgical laser-blade.

Jazz heard a splatter and found instinct forcing him to look, only to see energon blood drip onto the floor. He spun around again, and focused on talking to Prowl to keep from passing out.

"How'd he manage to carry them this far?" Arcee asked lowly. "His chamber is one of the smallest I've seen."

Ratchet shook his helm. "I have no idea. Clamp off that tube. Scissors."

"I see a sparkling." Arcee said loudly, encouraging both Cyber-ninjas. "Almost there."

"Get the chamois." Ratchet ordered, never looking up from his work.

Arcee set aside an extra clamp, memorizing how many had been used, and picked up one of the chamois towels used to clean of the sparklings.

"Ready." Ratchet warned Arcee as he slit the gestational chamber.

The sparkling easily slid out of the incision and into Ratchet's awaiting hands. A loud, infantile cry broke out as it was taken from its warm, fluid filled sanctuary and into the cold draft of open air.

Arcee hurriedly took it in the towel and started to rub it dry. It continued to cry, its glossa vibrating as it shook from the effort.

"A mech." Arcee stated.

Jazz looked over to see Arcee hurrying to set it in a cradle and grab another chamois towel. His attention turned from the hidden sparkling as a second cry burst out.

"A femme." Ratchet stated as Arcee took her in her servos, cleaning her off. "You can see in just a moment. Just have to close you up."

"Ah don' know if ah can wait." Jazz stated, his visor bright with excitement.

"You've waited this long, one breem's not going to kill you." Arcee chuckled.

"Ya did it, Prowler!" Jazz exclaimed, suddenly remembering that _he_ wasn't the one that had them. "We got sparklins!"

"I know, Jazz." Prowl vented out. He was tired from energon loss and just labor, period, but inwardly about to burst from pride and shock. "Alpha Trion, he was-"

"He was fraggin' right the entire time." Jazz finished smugly.

Ratchet snorted. "Ya got that right. All right. Finished."

Prowl could barely feel the cold wet rag Ratchet used to clean up the rest of the blood before the curtain came down.

"Ready to see your sparklings?" Arcee asked, taking one bundle up as Ratchet took the other. "All cleaned up now."

Prowl nodded. He looked down as a warm, fuzzy bundle was pressed into his servos. The sparkling, which had been previously crying before, quieted down as she looked up at her carriers visored face. Jazz cradled the mechling as he crouched down next to the medical berth, letting both see both.

"What are their designations?" Arcee asked, practically beaming herself at the two sparkings and creators.

"Songbird, fer the little lady." Jazz stated, choosing one of the names Prowl had favored.

"And Ambulon for the mechling." Prowl finished, his optics darting between both sparklings. "Holy frag, Jazz. We're creators."

"Better watch yer mouth, now." Jazz warned. "Don' wan' them ta' repeat all them obscurities, do ya?"

Prowl smirked, and looked at the femmling he held. Her frame very much resembled Jazz's, being a bit more full then his own, but still slim. Her colors were an off white, more like a very soft ash gray with bright blue highlights. A blue chevron graced her helm, much like his own.

The mechling, crowing to get at his carrier and calming down once there beside his sister, was built more like Prowl. His frame was very thin, frail even. He was a light blue, combining both of Jazz's colors to get his shade. He was highlighted with gold, taking the metallic color from his carrier.

"They're adorable." Arcee congratulated them. "I'm going to have to take them, though."

"Take them?" Prowl asked, his attention turning away from the tiny sparklings to the pink femme.

"They need to be checked out in the nursery. And fed." Ratchet replied for the femme.

"I'm capable of feeding them." Prowl stated, instinctually and involuntarily tightening his grip ever so slowly on the sparklings.

"Ah could help, too." Jazz added.

"You can and will." Ratchet agreed. "But Prowl needs to rest first. He lost a lot of energon."

Prowl vented as the sparklings were practically torn from his reluctant servos. Double cries went up in protest from the warm, comfortable positions they had been in and the scent of their carrier disappearing.

"Calm down." Arcee cooed as she left for the nursery. "You'll go back soon."

"Now to just get you back to your room." Ratchet stated, unlocking the berth from the operating room. "And then you can rest."

"But-"

"I promise, we're not stealing your offspring." Ratchet rolled his optics. "You just need to get some rest, and then we can show you how to care for them."

Prowl vented as he was pushed back to the original room he had been in. He was starting to realize why Sensei Yokitron had never liked medical help (unless _absolutely _necessary), or hospitals. There were too many strings attached. Sensei would have simply cleaned off the sparkling and then let him take it.

He was too tired, though, to dwell on what _could_ be instead of what _was_. He felt Jazz's comforting hand on his knee joint, and recharge overtook him.

* * *

Author's Note- Who was expecting that, now? Too early? (Not that I care) We're counting down to OP and UM, now!

Congratulations to **BossBot97** for the mech name Ambulon!

And Congratulations to **Pixelous Prime** for the name Songbird! It was too perfect! I mean, Prowl and birds go hand in hand...hand in wing? Your friend had a very pretty name!

I apologize to all who suggested names and weren't chosen. I loved all the names. (No, really. I'm not just saying that. I hate people who do that) It was SUPER hard to choose!

Also, thank's Ratch for being my Beta! I hope I don't annoy you with all the chappies that are gonna be coming your way! And...if something sucks or doesn't make sense, PLEASE tell me!

Ratchet171 - Glad to help, Chromia! I suppose you can blame all remaining grammar errors on me now. Prowl sure took that like a mech… Jazz too!


	15. Chapter 15 Optimus

Chapter 15

* * *

Optimus Prime couldn't hide the soft smile that crept onto his face as he looked at a holo-pic. Ultra Magnus said something behind him that while cute, their sparkling was going to look much better, or something like that.

In the holo-pic- sent straight to a messaging box on a data-pad- Prowl, Jazz, and two sparkling's crowded together. Prowl looked a bit tired as both sparkling's rested in his servos, a pink blanket in his right and a blue in his left. Jazz looked like a bundle of potential energy, about to burst.

"That's not very nice." Optimus stated, processing what his mate had said. "Prowl and Jazz's sparklings are very nice."

"We'll have much nicer one, though." Ultra Magnus assured him. "He-"

"Or her." Optimus corrected.

"_It_ will be perfect." Ultra Magnus stated.

Optimus rolled his optics as he shifted in his seat a bit. While behind Prowl by a little less then a groon, he was still rather large and uncomfortable. His medic, Syringe, had said that he was doing just fine. The sparkling (still unsexed) had grown quite large and like to make itself known.

Because things seem to like to be on cue, a light knocking sounded on the inside of Optimus' stomach plating. Ultra smiled as he placed a hand over it, his hand moving up and down in sync with the kicks.

"Just out of curiosity, does that hurt when he/she kicks you?" Ultra Magnus asked.

Optimus didn't even try to refrain from rolling his optics. "Not usually." he answered anyways. "Just uncomfortable, at times. He's nocturnal."

Ultra nodded. "I know. He keeps me up at night."

"Or she." Optimus corrected again. "Wait- keeps _you _up?"

"Just until you get up and leave the room." Ultra stated, a smug smirk on his face. "Then I sleep no pro-" he was cut off with an abrupt slap to his helm. He chuckled a moment until Optimus left his seat on the sofa, and away from his mate. "Where are you going?"

"To take a nap." Optimus stated. "I would hate to keep you up tonight."

"I was only teas-." Ultra stated, again cut off at the sound off a door sliding closed. Ultra vented. "I guess I could go check on Ironhide."

* * *

Ironhide lived conveniently at the end of the block. More like a house down the road, as the Magnus House was quite large. (Ultra had always hated that, such a waste of space on one or two bots) Ironhide liked he closeness, bodyguard and all.

Ultra rapped once, the door opening quickly to reveal a red mech with rather large optics.

"Ultra Magnus, sir! Thank Primus." Ironhide vented, pulling the mech in and suddenly speaking in hushed tones. "Ya gotta help me."

"What's wrong?" Ultra asked, completely worried and serious at the way the mech before him spoke.

"It's Chromia, sir." Ironhide stated. "She's gone nuts! I can't take it no longer. I gotta go somewhere."

"Where?" Ultra asked.

"I dunno." Ironhide panted, shaking his helm back and forth. "Far. Far away. As far away as I can get. Wait- I got it! Send me to earth!"

"Ironhi-"

"Okay, okay." the shorter mech interrupted. "Not earth. Too close. Send me ta work with Sentinel Prime. Please! I don't care if it's just fixin' up bridges, I gotta get out of here!"

"Ironhide, calm down." Ultra Magnus said firmly. "You are being overly dramatic."

"Overl-"

"I'm certain that Chromia cannot be all _that_ bad." Ultra Magnus continued, cutting Ironhide short.

"Sir, you haven't seen her lately. She's gone completely bonkers!" Ironhide exclaimed.

"Ironhide." Ultra vented. "You need to take a breather."

"I know! Can ya send me to-"

"How about a walk?" Ultra Magnus asked. "To cool yourself down."

"I'll go ask Chromia." Ironhide said like a youngling afraid to do something without their carrier's permission.

It was a good five breems before Ironhide returned. He grabbed Ultra Magnus' hand and pulled him from the house as fast as he could.

"We gotta go, now, before she changes her mind again!" Ironhide insisted as he locked the door behind him.

"Again?"

There was no answer. Ultra bit both his lip and his glossa to keep from laughing at the red mech. The fresh air seemed to do him some good, though, as he started to calm down around the sixth block.

"Now." Ultra Magnus started. "Let's try this again. Do you think you can tell me what's going on. _Sanely?_"

"She's nuts." Ironhide stated. "Simply put. Her hormones are all outta whack, and then she takes it out on me."

"It's just a phase." Ultra Magnus assured him. "Like the purging."

"She's still doin' that, from time to time." Ironhide stated with a vent. "I can take that. It's usually once a week in the morning. I can take that. What I can't take are the fraggin' _mood swings_."

"Every carrier has them." Ultra Magnus said calmly. "Even Optimus was cranky a few times."

Ironhide snorted. "Chrome's can't seem to decide if she w_ants_ to be cranky ot not!"

Ultra Magnus gave Ironhide a bit of a weird look, telling him to explain.

"Take the time she was reading a data-pad. Some stupid novel or somethin'. I thought she was being murdered, by the noises she was making! She was crying one momentm laughing hysterically the next, and then she threw the pad across the room! She broke the fraggin' thing!" Ironhide exclaimed irritably.

"A data-pad can be replaced." Ultra tried to be helpful.

"I don't care about the pad." Ironhide stated. "I didn't want to read the stupid thing. No, the fact was her Primus awful excuse. 'I didn't like the ending'." he mimicked in a very demeaning tone.

"Is that it?"

"And then there was the time s_he_ wanted to interface." Ironhide continued.

"Ironhide." Ultra warned, not wanting to hear in intimate tall from a less the tactful mech.

"One klik she was all into me." Ironhide continued. "Begging me for more. Screaming my name, clawing at my-"

"'Hide!"

"Sorry. Anyways, one sec. she wanted some, the next she was yelling at me that I was too heavy and was hurting here." Ironhide stated. "As if! Does she know how much she ways? She ain't no feather weight, that's for sure."

"Neither ae you." Ultra Magnus said. "I can see Chromia's point in that example. Femmes are all ready delicate-"

A heavy snort.

"Okay, not _always, _but any carrier is more sensitive." Ultra explained. "And not just emotionally. Their frames, especially their stomach areas, become more tender and sore. You can't be rough with them."

"I wasn't on her stomach...much." Ironhide grumbled.

Ultra cleared his throat quickly. "They're...more sensitive there too."

Ironhide nodded, looking a little ashamed, but not much. "Well, that might'a been my fault, but what about her just standing there? She's gotton mood swings just walking."

Ultra Magnus pat his friend's back sympathetically. "You just have to bear that out. It'll only last so long. Hopefully."

"Hopefully?"

Ultra vented as they passed a vendor smelling sweet smelling oils and treats. "Hang on." he halted, rummaging through his subspace for some spare credits.

"Sweet tooth?" Ironhide questioned as Ultra purchased a package of rust sticks from the vender, simply thrilled to have the Magnus so much as look as his cart.

"Not me." Ultra Magnus stated. "Optimus. He craves these things. I find them a bit too sweet."

Ironhide nodded as he looked at the sticky, drippy pieces of thinly flattened metal coated in sweet oil. He could handle one every now and then, but rust sticks were usually found unbearably sweet by adults. As Ultra subspaced the treat, an idea popped into Ironhide's processor.

"Do you think Chromia would like something like that?" Ironhide asked.

Ultra could only shrug. "Maybe, but if she's still having morning sickness, she might not."

"Ahh, she hasn't been sick in awhile." Ironhide stated, waving the Magnus off. "I'll get her a few of the goodies. She's all ways liked those."

"A carrying bot's taste can change." Ultra said hesitantly. "I'd be careful."

"It'll be fine." Ironhide stated, pocketing (so to speak) the brown baggie of treats. "If she likes them, maybe she won't be so moody and be nicer to me?"

Ultra only quirked an optic ridge. "I suppose. You had best get on back home, though. I should do the same before Optimus gets up. He doesn't know I'm gone."

"What's he doin'?" Ironhide asked.

"Taking a nap. He can't recharge at night, so he's tried all day." Ultra stated.

"I wish Chromia would take a nice, long nap." Ironhide drawled out long, causing Ultra Magnus to chuckle a bit.

After bidding each other quick good-bye's, the two mech separated.

* * *

Ultra Magnus strode into the recharge room. He walked as silently as his large frame would allow him, nothing more then the occasional creak of straining metal or a small hydrolic hiss of relieved tendons.

Reaching into his subspace, he pulled out the package he had gotten for Optimus, and lay it on the berthside table. With a quick peck at the red forehelm, and a gentle caress of the soft cheek, Ultra Magnus made his exit. The only proof that he had ever been in the room was the package of sweets he had left for his sleeping mate.

* * *

Ironhide walked up to the front door, and froze. Did he really want to risk another hormonal encounter with his mate? He inwardly scolded himself, and meched up. He opened _his_ door and entered _his_ house and was immediately confronted with _his_ mate.

He froze in his tracks, and and tried a sweet smile, it coming on more as a cheesy grin.

"Hi, honey."

"Where have you been?" Chromia asked calmly, returning to her previous task of washing the dirty energon cubes.

"For a quick walk with Ultra Magnus." he answered quickly, but nor too quickly. His hand dove into his subspace. "I got these for ya."

Taking the small package, Chromia peered inside. Her face fell and coolant began to fill her optics. Ironhide faltered, trying to figure out what he did wrong. Before he could even begin to try and come up with an excuse, Chromia had seated herself at the table and buried her face in her hand, although no sobbing (as he had expected) came from her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, quickly going to her side while inwardly he was prepared for anything.

"You missed it." she said quietly, her voice a few decibels above a whisper.

"Missed what?" Ironhide asked, processor whirring to try and and discover just what he was missing, other then a good explanation.

"The sparkling." Chromia vented, looking up at her mate, her optics just a bit wet. "It went down when you were gone."

"Oh." Ironhide could only manage, a severe disappointment filling his spark. He vented once and cleared his throat. "Aw, thats all right."

"But, I know you were excited and wanted to-"

"It don't matter." Ironhide said before she could continue. "As long as we get a sparklin' that's healthy an' strong, I'm happy."

Chromia smiled a bit as Ironhide knelt down just a bit to wrap himself around her back a bit more. "I'm sorry you missed it."

"Aw, that's all right." Ironhide brushed her apology away. "Not like you can control it none."

Chromia only nodded a bit.

"This does mean, though, thatya won't be so crazy hormonal, right?" Ironhide dared himself to ask, hope lacing his voice as well as fear.

Chromia snorted a bit. "Crazy?"

"I-, uh-" Ironhide stammered quickly.

Chromia chuckled a bit, making him stop. "Yes, 'Hide, I won't be so crazy hormonal."

Ironhide vented in relief. Chromia couldn't help but scoff a bit.

"I couldn't possible have been _that_ bad." Chromia stated.

"I got some footage if ya want it." Ironhide stated, stealing the bag of goodies and taking a few out for himself.

"I'm good." Chromia stated, taking the bag back and rising.

Ironhide smirked a bit as she subspaced the treats and went to return to her dishes. He went into the sitting room to read a holo newspaper, his spark much lighter. He might have missed the separation, but now he was going to get some peace and quiet. Hopefully.

* * *

Ultra Magnus was in a stupor. That was the only explanation for this. He stood in the hall way, frozen in spot, as Optimus pushed a earth like vacuum cleaner back and forth. Before this there had been dusting, the kind done with oils and such, and then there had been a complete house de-cluttering. Items that were used on a regular basis were declared useless and attempted to be thrown out. Ultra had had to save a few things from the trash.

Optimus, who could barely walk an orn ago, was scrubbing the entire house clean. That wasn't a bad thing, necessarily, but it was a bit irriating. Ultra Magnus vented a bit after the vacuuming was done, and Optimus went to look for something else to clean. He took his mate's servo as he brushed by.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" he asked with a cocked optic ridge.

"Hey, I have the energy and I am not wasting it." Optimus stated firmly, shaking off the servo.

Ultra Magnus only shook his helm a bit as Optimus made his way to a storage closet and emerged with a polishing rag to fo Primus knew what with.

* * *

Optimus bit his glossa to muffle another moan. If he knew that labor would be _this_ painful...he might have though twice before lying down. Okay, maybe not, but still, it hurt! He could not get comfortable at all, and the only 'natural' postion to be in was on his hands and knees.

He vented harshly as another contraction rippled through him, and tightened his grip on Ultra's hand. At least he was at home. Much more privacy and more comfortable then a hospital berth.

While a homebirth might be a bit dangerous (considering what had happened the first time), Optimus and Magnus had decided on it as the best. And, if worst came to unnamed worst, they were very close to the hospital. Also, the medic was here to observe and assist the birth, naturally.

"Optimus, I'm going to have to ask you to get on your back again." the medic, Syringe, stated. "I need to see how much longer."

Venting, Optimus laboursly (pun intended) got onto his back. It was a bit uncomfortable and majorly awkward to have the medic...check him, but there was nothing he could do about. Also, he was so uncomfortable and in pain that he simply did not care anymore.

The medic hummed. "You're almost there. You know how when you're downloading something and it stops right at 99%? Well, you're at that point except you're more at 90%. It shouldn't be that much longer, though. A joor or two, at the most."

Optimus moaned a bit, not really caring what anyone thought anymore. If Magnus wanted to judge, well, he could very well carry next time, What was that? Only a bot with carrying equipment could carry? This just in: he didn't care. Optimus would fraggin' find a way.

"You're doing good." Ultra Magnus murmured in his audio, trying to comfort him.

Optimus didn't want him so close. Being close was how this all started. He felt sticky and warm and he was so tired! How long had it been? Had to have been at least five joor so far.

It was also night. His oil had broken in his sleep, and a contraction had startled him awake. Ultra, who slept like a slaggin' stone, was eventually _pushed_ from the berth to finally wake up.

"Optimus?" Ultra asked. "Are you all right? You've been rather quiet."

"Better that way." Optimus gritted out as his gestational chamber again contracted. It was so much better this way. If he were to open his mouth to speak, it would either be close to sobbing keens or a string of bitter curses directed at a certain white, red, and blue mech.

Optimus gasped and yelped a bit as another pain hit him, a burning feeling much different from the other contractions-although that pain was still there. The medic was on his pedes, and nodded.

"It's time." he said. "You're fully dilated. On your next contraction, push."

Not even able to feel embarrassed by his position, Optimus did just that. Add a bit of shouting, crunching of Ultra's hand, and even a bit of cussing, you get the complete picture.

* * *

Ultra stood, shell-shocked at what he had just witnessed. Did that living, breathing thing really just come from his mate? That crying, flailing life really come from the two of them?

"A perfectly healthy mech." the medic announced, carefully bundling the crying sparkling up and sliding it in it's rightful place.

Optimus, unable to sit up right now, looked at the sparkling laying stomach down on his chassis. His optics were a light blue, contrasting perfectly with his completely blue frame. He had inherited Optimus' helm crest, that had red and white finials within.

Ultra knelt, stunned silent at the cooing bundle that shuttered off his optics and drifted into recharge. He reached out, almost hesitantly, and brushed a digit on the delicately soft cheek.

"Both carrier and sparkling are fine." the medic continued, cleaning up and packing away anything that he had used. "Both need rest, though."

Ultra nodded. "I'll make sure of that."

"Keep a close optic on the sparkling tonight, and call if anything happens." the medic warned. "No need to worry, but stay on your toes."

"All right." Optimus vented, stroking the blanket, the warm blanket.

"I'll be by early to check on you both." Syringe continued.

"Is that all?" Ultra asked, eager to spend some time alone with his new sparkling and tired mate.

"One more thing." the medic smiled. "What is the little one's designation? For the record."

"Convoy." Optimus answered without hesitation.

Stirring a bit, as if knowing his name was being called, Convoy settled back once again in recharge.

* * *

Author's Note- First of all, I feel terrible for the shortness of this chapter and the length in which all of you had to wait for this! I hope that it helped. I know I didn't focus a lot on Optimus' birth, but I am hoping to finish up this story soon! One chapter left, and lemme tell ya'll. It's a doozy!

Congratulations to **LunarNightDreamer** for the mech's name of Convoy! I know I changed the appearance from what you suggested, but I did only ask for names... I hope you are not too upset...


End file.
